Posted on 02/04/2003 3:08:47 PM PST by Turk2
Turkish leader warns that chances for war increasing, prepares legislators for vote to allow in U.S. troops
Tue Feb 4, 1:35 PM ET
By LOUIS MEIXLER, Associated Press Writer
ISTANBUL, Turkey - Turkey's top politician began preparing the public for a possible war, saying Tuesday that Iraq is not "taking the necessary steps" for peace and that Turkey would lose any say in the future of Iraq if it does not join in an operation.
The dramatic shift by Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who has long emphasized peace in Iraq, came before an expected Friday vote in parliament that could allow the United States to base thousands of troops in Turkey for an Iraq invasion.
The Turkish public is overwhelmingly opposed to a war and Erdogan faces a battle within his own Justice and Development Party to persuade lawmakers to pass legislation that will allow in the U.S. soldiers.
"The decisions we make for war are not because we want a war, but so we can contribute to peace as soon as possible — at a point when it is not possible to prevent war," Erdogan told party lawmakers. "Our moral priority is peace, but our political priority is our dear Turkey."
"If we remain outside the equation at the beginning of the operation, it might not be possible to ... affect developments after the operation," Erdogan said. "And if that happens Turkey's long term interests and, God forbid, its security might be endangered."
His comments follow relentless U.S. pressure for Turkey to back a possible Iraq war. The head of the U.S. military and the U.S. general in charge of NATO (news - web sites) visited Turkey last month.
Washington is apparently looking to base tens of thousands of soldiers in Turkey who would open up a northern front that would divide Iraq's army between U.S. forces in Turkey and in the Gulf. U.S. and Turkish generals agree that a two-front war would be quicker but Turkey has been delaying moves to accept U.S. soldiers.
"We obviously want full Turkish cooperation and look forward to that," U.S. President George W. Bush (news - web sites)'s envoy to the Iraqi opposition, Zalmay Khalilzad, told reporters after arriving in Ankara Tuesday.
Khalilzad will hold talks with leaders of the two Iraqi Kurdish factions that control northern Iraq later this week.
Prime Minister Abdullah Gul Tuesday spoke with U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney (news - web sites) to discuss the U.S. basing request, Gul's office said. It gave no details.
Turkey is terrified that a war could lead to the disintegration of Iraq, leading Kurds in the north to declare independence. That could encourage Kurds in Turkey's southeast, where Turkish soldiers and Kurdish rebels fought a 15-year guerrilla war.
Erdogan, as head of the Justice party, is considered the power behind the scenes in Turkey. For legal reasons he was not allowed to run for parliament, but he is expected to run in March by-elections and take over the prime ministry after the voting.
"We are regretful to see that the Iraqi administration, which has to take strong steps for peace, isn't taking the necessary steps," Erdogan said. "Unfortunately, we face a situation where the innocent people (of Iraq) are going to pay for their leader's blindness."
Diplomats have repeatedly criticized Gul and Erdogan for not preparing the public for what many see as inevitable Turkish support for a U.S. operation. In the past few weeks, Gul has spoken of the need for peace of the region and hosted a meeting of Iraq's neighbors that called for peace.
Gul is expected to meet with party deputies on Thursday.
"It's a brilliant but a terrible U-turn, because it's too late," Ilnur Cevik, editor in chief of the Turkish Daily News, said in regard to Erdogan's comments.
"They should have prepared their own deputies and the public for this," Cevik said. "When you do it at the last moment ... you lose your credibility."
Parliament recesses next week for a weeklong Islamic holiday and diplomats say that if parliamentary approval does not come this week, U.S. war plans could be disrupted.
Turkish newspapers have quoted Gul as saying that parliament could vote this week on accepting U.S. soldiers to upgrade several Turkish bases and ports that would host the U.S. forces and vote on U.S. ground troops later.
Also Tuesday, Turkish Foreign Ministry officials met with the ambassadors of fellow NATO members France, Germany and Belgium to discuss possible NATO protection for Turkey if there is an Iraq war, the Anatolia news agency reported.
Turkish military ambulances are seen in a ferry with Istanbul's historical Galata tower in the background at Sirkeci port in istanbul, Turkey, Tuesday, Feb. 4, 2003. The Turkish military began moving troops in western Turkey to its border with Iraq, strengthened its security force along the rugged border area ahead of a possible U.S.-led war against Iraq. (AP Photo/Osman Orsal)
Turkish soldiers and military vehicles are seen on a ferry at Sirkeci port in Istanbul, Turkey, Tuesday, Feb. 4, 2003.
A train carrying Turkish army tanks and supplies to the border with Iraq passes U.S. Air Force tanker planes, KC-135 Stratotankers, stationed at the Incirlik air base, Adana, Turkey, on Tuesday, Feb. 4, 2003. (AP Photo/Durmus Ali Baskan, Anatolia)
A Turkish soldier stands guard as others set up a military tent at a tent city near the Habur border crossing on the Turkish - Iraqi border, southeastern Turkey, Tuesday Feb. 4, 2003, which was prepared by Turkish Red Crescent to house possible Iraqi Kurdish refugees. Some 500,000 Iraqi Kurds had fled to Turkey during the 1991 Gulf War (news - web sites). (AP Photo/Murad Sezer)
A Turkish soldier patrols in a tent city near the Habur border crossing on the Turkish - Iraqi border, southeastern Turkey, Tuesday, Feb. 4, 2003. The tents were prepared by Turkish Red Crescent to house possible Iraqi Kurdish refugees. Some 500,000 Iraqi Kurds had fled to Turkey during the 1991 Gulf War (news - web sites). (AP Photo/Murad Sezer)
A Turkish soldier stands guard as the others prepare sand bags next to a tent city near the Habur border crossing on the Turkish - Iraqi border, southeastern Turkey, Tuesday, Feb. 4, 2003
Turkish soldiers load sandbags on a truck in a tent city near the Habur border crossing on the Turkish - Iraqi border, Monday Feb. 3, 2003, which was prepared by Turkish Red Crescent to house possible Iraqi Kurdish refugees. Some 500,000 Iraqi Kurds fled to Turkey during the 1999 Gulf War (news - web sites). Turkish Prime Minister Abdullah Gul said he would submit a proposal to parliament this week that could open the way for U.S. troops to be stationed in Turkey for a possible war against neighboring Iraq. (AP Photo/Murad Sezer)
Turkish soldiers stand guard at a watchtower overlooking the Syrian border, some 30 kilometers away from the Turkish - Iraqi border crossing of Habur in the southeastern Turkey, Monday, Feb. 3, 2003. Turkish Prime Minister Abdullah Gul said he would submit a proposal to parliament this week that could open the way for U.S. troops to be stationed in Turkey for a possible war against neighboring Iraq. The announcement followed Friday's decision by Turkey's top generals, the president, and government leaders, including Gul, to endorse stationing foreign troops in the country. Parliament must approve any deployment. (AP Photo/Murad Sezer)
A Turkish military armored personnel carrier is transported near the Iraq border near Habur, southeastern Turkey, Monday, Feb. 3, 2003. The Turkish military has begun moving troops in western Turkey to its border with Iraq, strengthening its security force along the rugged border area ahead of a possible U.S. war against Iraq. (AP Photo)
Turkish military policemen stand guard next to military vehicles in Haydarpasa station in Istanbul, Turkey, Sunday, Feb. 2, 2003
Turkish military policemen stand guard in Haydarpasa station in Istanbul, Turkey, Sunday, Feb. 2, 2003, as soldiers board a train bound for the southern city of Gaziantep.
A Turkish military policeman passes by military vehicles in Haydarpasa station in Istanbul, Turkey, Sunday, Feb. 2, 2003.
Turkish military vehicles are carried out from a ferry at Haydarpasa station in Istanbul, Turkey, Feb. 2, 2003.
A Turkish military policeman stands guard next to the military vehicles in Haydarpasa station in Istanbul, Turkey, Sunday Feb. 2, 2003.
A Turkish soldier boards a train bound for the southern city of Gaziantep as his unidentified relatives look on at Haydarpasa station in Istanbul, Turkey, Sunday Feb. 2 2003
A Turkish soldier guards as a train is loaded with military equipment and armoured vehicles, as part of a military deployment along Turkey's southeast frontier with Iraq, before the train departs from Haydarpasa railway station in Istanbul February 2, 2003. Turkey's foreign minister was quoted on Sunday as saying the country had asked NATO (news - web sites) to provide early warning aircraft and Patriot missile defence systems to protect Turkey in any war with Iraq. REUTERS/Fatih Saribas
Turkish soldiers guard a train loaded with military equipment and armored vehicles, as part of a military deployment along Turkey's southeast frontier with Iraq, before the train departs from Haydarpasa railway station in Istanbul, February 2, 2003
A Turkish soldier walks along the track guarding a train loaded with military equipment and armored vehicles, as part of a military deployment along Turkey's southeast frontier with Iraq, before the train departs from Haydarpasa railway station in Istanbul, February 2, 2003
Turkish military begins shipping supplies to soldiers along the Iraqi border as part of preparations for a possible military operation in Iraq, in Gocuk navy base in Izmit, Turkey, Thursday, Jan. 30, 2003
Turkish soldiers, wearing gas masks, participate in a chemical warfare drill at Incirlik air base, near the southern Turkish city of Adana, Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2003. Turkish soldiers wearing gas masks scurried as loud speakers announced an imminent chemical weapons attack during exercises at Incirlik air base, a key air base used by the United States military to patrol Iraq. (AP Photo/Murad Sezer)
When politicians start talking like that, look out!
Source: www.army-technology.com
Would America be blamed? Would we be pressured to help all those people?
Parliament recesses next week for a weeklong Islamic holiday and diplomats say that if parliamentary approval does not come this week, U.S. war plans could be disrupted.
Turkish newspapers have quoted Gul as saying that parliament could vote this week on accepting U.S. soldiers to upgrade several Turkish bases and ports that would host the U.S. forces and vote on U.S. ground troops later.
Also Tuesday, Turkish Foreign Ministry officials met with the ambassadors of fellow NATO members France, Germany and Belgium to discuss possible NATO protection for Turkey if there is an Iraq war, the Anatolia news agency reported.
Israel,.......Beware of the "King of the North".
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