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Let's not get too down on Turkey. Turkey has to live next to Iraq, and they are concerned about what we're going to do in their neighborhood. After the last gulf war, over a million refugees flooded into Turkey from Iraq, costing Turkey billions to deal with them. Turkey is not out of line to ask for money to deal with the problems that may come from our assault on Iraq.

Most likely, in my opinion, Turkey refused access to our troops because Turkey intends to grab northern Iraq when we move in from the south. We won't be able to stop them in time if our troops are not in Turkey. They will do this to quell the Kurds who have caused the Turks innumerable problems in the past, to take back Turkish territory seized by Britain after WWI, and to grab oil wells. The Turks have not denied that they may go into Iraq themselves.

Turkey has been a reliable ally since the Korean conflict, and I can tell you from having been in Turkey that the Turks are fundamentally friendly to America. The Turks aren't slapping us in the face, they are simply covering their butts and making sure that a hostile Kurdish nation doesn't appear and start agitating to break off southeastern Turkey.

Additionally, we don't need Turkey's airspace or land to beat the tar out of the ragheads in Iraq. This coming war will take about one or two days at the most, with most of the work figuring out what to do with all the prisoners.

Pragmatist

Most likely, in my opinion, Turkey refused access to our troops because Turkey intends to grab northern Iraq when we move in from the south. We won't be able to stop them in time if our troops are not in Turkey.

Not a problem to be polite to the Turks.... but if they think that we're gonna let some johnny-come-latelys grab 100 billion dollars worth of territory without a fight they are smoking FAR too strong a hookah pipe in Ankara.

Let's not get too down on Turkey. Turkey has to live next to Iraq, and they are concerned about what we're going to do in their neighborhood. After the last gulf war, over a million refugees flooded into Turkey from Iraq, costing Turkey billions to deal with them. Turkey is not out of line to ask for money to deal with the problems that may come from our assault on Iraq.
Most likely, in my opinion, Turkey refused access to our troops because Turkey intends to grab northern Iraq when we move in from the south. We won't be able to stop them in time if our troops are not in Turkey. They will do this to quell the Kurds who have caused the Turks innumerable problems in the past, to take back Turkish territory seized by Britain after WWI, and to grab oil wells. The Turks have not denied that they may go into Iraq themselves.
Turkey has been a reliable ally since the Korean conflict, and I can tell you from having been in Turkey that the Turks are fundamentally friendly to America. The Turks aren't slapping us in the face, they are simply covering their butts and making sure that a hostile Kurdish nation doesn't appear and start agitating to break off southeastern Turkey.
Additionally, we don't need Turkey's airspace or land to beat the tar out of the ragheads in Iraq. This coming war will take about one or two days at the most, with most of the work figuring out what to do with all the prisoners.

Pragmatist

I am SICK TO DEATH of our so called "ALLY" Turkey! All we asked for was to let our troops and equipment PASS THRU Turkey and they said NO! They had their hand out asking for some $30B and for WHAT!? I don't want to see Turkey or France or Russia get ONE MORE CENT of MY tax dollars! Hey Turkey, can you say Kurdistan! Sure you can!