Posted on 03/04/2006 8:29:25 PM PST by FFforFreedom
U.S. military decides Turkey no longer reliable ally
2/15/2006 Insight
Issue Date: January 16-22, 2006, Posted On: 1/16/2006
The U.S. military is quietly preparing to withdraw its forces from Turkey.
Government sources said the military and Defense Department have concluded that Turkey is no longer a reliable military ally. The sources said that by 2008 the United States would have no more than a token military presence in Turkey.
"For two years, the Pentagon waited for a turnaround in Turkey," a source said. "That hasn't happened and the Pentagon will be looking elsewhere for basing and deployment."
The Bush administration was deeply disappointed by Ankara's refusal to host U.S. troops in 2003 as part of plans to form a northern front against the Saddam Hussein regime in Iraq. Last year, despite numerous pledges, Ankara blocked another U.S. effort to expand its military presence and use of Turkish military installations.
As a result, the Pentagon has been changing its deployment in Turkey and ended incentives for U.S. soldiers to be based in that country, which is also a member of NATO. The Pentagon has also terminated Turkey's certification as an area in direct support of the U.S. military operation in Iraq.
On Dec. 31, the Pentagon ended most incentives for U.S. soldiers to be based in Turkey, an area deemed as high risk amid rising anti-American sentiment during the war in Iraq. The Pentagon ended the exemption of U.S. soldiers from federal taxes in an arrangement known as combat zone tax exclusion.
U.S. soldiers in Turkey began receiving this benefit in January 2003 in anticipation of the war in Iraq. But in a review in late 2005, U.S. European Command determined that Turkey no longer fulfilled combat zone requirements.
Officials said the U.S. military will continue to retain a token presence in Turkey, particularly in the air force base at Incirlik. Those serving in Turkey would obtain the imminent danger pay benefit, which amounts to another $225 a month.
The Pentagon envisions a long-term U.S. military presence in Iraq, particularly in the autonomous Kurdish zone in the north. The United States has built several military bases and airports in the north, which could serve as a launching pad for reconnaissance or attack missions against neighboring Iran.
lets just nuke the whole middle east, the horn and north africa, Pakistan and Indonesia and get it over with... /sarcasm
No disrespect, but I think you are living in a dream world. Islam is inflexible. Everything that Muslims believe is written in the Koran as Mohammad dictated it. Other religions have evolved and become more tolerant. Islam is incapable of evolving or peacefully coexisting with other religions.
Spot on to you! You can't reason with a rabid animal, you kill it.
And they don't even see it.
Do we have troops in France?
You appease and apologize for him. I want him dead.
What is the solution? KILL EVERY MUSLIM?
Since Turkey is a member of the UN, NATO and the European Community, they're population of 99.8% Sunni Muslim makes them immune to organized acts of terrorism? Wow. If we don't fight Islamic terrorism throughout the world and have as our major objective, to kill "jihadists" and "islamofasits" wherever we find them, inside or outside the borders of the ME, the WOT will be lost. You want America to be friends with the Islamic world. That ain't gonna happen. Not now and not in the near future. Right now the Islamic world is stuck in the 7Th-9TH centuries AD. Come back in 300-400 years. You may find the Islamic world has finally caught up with the 21st century world. Then again, maybe not.
Who?
PC needs a quick death if we are to survive this.
exactly, and inflaming and inciting them will do us no favors, also discouraging and humiliating our allies in the region also isn't helpful toward our objectives.
Some of us will die because they will never learn it's a culture war.
IMHO, a significant percentage of our citizenry understands the fight we're in. Unfortunately, virtually none of our leaders are willing to define the enemy, much less fight to win. We are so hamstrung by political correctness that it boggles the mind, and I fear we're gonna eventually suffer a massive hit as a result.
MM
Dear God.......
I'm calling it a night. Glad the article raised some interest.
Lets keep in mind that often the folks we have the pleasure of arguing with will be on the same side of the trench when the bullets start flying.
Stay Safe and God Bless you all
I like it. It reminds me of Bluto's speech in Animal House.
"Was it over when the Iranians bombed Bali?" HELL NO!
exactly, and inflaming and inciting them(Arabs & Muslims in General) will do us no favors, also discouraging and humiliating our allies in the region also isn't helpful toward our objectives.
Politial correctness does not cloud our reality. "
See if that hold true if Klinton gets in ths White House.
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