U.S. Drops Its Bid to Base Troops in Turkey

Los Angeles Times ^ | March 15, 2003 | Richard Boudreaux and John Hendren

[AntiGuv]

ANKARA, Turkey -- The Bush administration told Turkish leaders Friday that it had all but given up on their country as a base from which to assault Iraq, ending months of intense lobbying for the deployment of tens of thousands of American troops to a northern front against Saddam Hussein, a senior U.S. official said.

Instead, the official said, the administration is now trying to dissuade Turkey from plans to send its own army into Kurdish-controlled northern Iraq, warning that such an incursion could lead to "a war within a war" and further damage Turkey's relations with the United States.

The shift in the administration's position came nearly two weeks after Turkey's parliament refused to authorize a deployment of 62,000 American troops and after its top political leader, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, balked at a backup proposal to open Turkish airspace to U.S. missiles and warplanes for a bombing campaign in Iraq.

[Dog Gone]

Turkey did not choose wisely.

[Glenn]

If we give them one thin dime of aid over and above what we normally give them, I'm going to be mighty pixxed.

[Fitzcarraldo]

Give 1/3 of Iraq to the Kurds.

[Semper Paratus]

We'll get to Nothern Iraq, just a few days later then planned.

[maquiladora]

It was clear that we had given up yesterday when we moved those 10 ships a 2 subs into the Red Sea so we could use Saudi airspace for cruise missile overflight. And it would've talken weeks to get the 4th Inf uploaded and fully deployed along the border, it's been off the table for a while now to be realistic.

[SC_Republican]

So what's up with us unloading "caravans" of equipment onto thier soil?

[maquiladora]

uploaded

Dang tech terms....unloaded

[EGPWS]

...and further damage Turkey's relations with the United States.

What little there is left.

[Kerberos]

OK. Does this mean that it's ham for Thanksgiving this year?

[SendShaqtoIraq]

"Turkey did not choose wisely."

Yes they did(to them). They're thinking it affords them a chance to invade northern Iraq. They knew that wouldn't be possible if they let us invade from their soil.

Teresa
"It is the soldier, not the reporter who has given us the freedom of the press. It is the soldier, not the poet, who has given us the freedom of speech. It is the soldier, not the campus organizer, who gives us the freedom to demonstrate. It is the soldier who salutes the flag, who serves beneath the flag, and whose coffin is draped by the flag, who allows the protester to burn the flag." ~Father Dennis Edward O'Brien, Sergeant, USMC

[COBOL2Java]

Turkey did not choose wisely.

Guardian Knight (from Indiana Jones And the Last Crusade):
He Chose...Poorly

[Thermalseeker]

If we give them one thin dime of aid over and above what we normally give them, I'm going to be mighty pixxed.

I've said it before and I'll say it again, in light of what has happened regarding support or lack of support in our war on terror I think it's time to seriously reconsider ALL foriegn aid to ALL countries who have stood in the way. We're talking national security here, OUR NATIONAL SECURITY. You're either with us or you're against us and if you're against us you should not get one thin dime of my tax dollars!

[cynicom]

Past time for Bush to stop begging allies and the UN, get it done.

[txradioguy]

Once again we can thank the French. They did their best to talk Turkey out of helping us. Hope Turkey realizes just how much money they've lost over this.

[conservativecorner]

Another ally who has it's hand out when they should be hand in hand with the US. Not one dime is what they should get, but I don't think that is gonna happen.

[Diddle E. Squat]

A rather ominous sign.

[M Kehoe]

I'm disappointed in the Turkish government. I had expected better treatment from them.

5.56mm

[deport]

Yep the 4th Infantry troops are still at Ft. Hood... Of course they can be moved fairly quickly once thier equipment is off loaded somewhere...

[CurlyDave]

If we give them one thin dime of aid over and above what we normally give them, I'm going to be mighty pixxed.

What is this "above what we normally give them" CR@P ???

US aid is not an entitlement. It may be that US aid is a form of charity which benefits all concerned, but it should be reserved for countries which are friendly to the US.

Turkey has made a decision which will result in more war casualties for US troups.

Turkey has a right to do this--it is their country after all, and I can understand the internal pressures they face. However, if my supposed friend stabs me in the back, I am not going to buy lunch for him any time soon.