Time's up:aid offer to Turkey withdrawn - (That Word Again >> TURKEY)

The World Tribune ^ | 16 March, 2003

[Happy2BMe]

Time's up: Cheney apppeal fails, aid offer to Turkey withdrawn

SPECIAL TO WORLD TRIBUNE.COMSunday, March 16, 2003

The United States has withdrawn its offer of $15 billion to Turkey for the deployment of up to 62,000 American troops.

U.S. officials said the Bush administration has determined that Turkey failed to respond to the offer in time. They said Washington has implemented contingency plans that do not envision Turkey as a major participant in any northern front against Baghdad.

The officials said Turkey was warned several times over the last two weeks that the U.S. aid compensation package would be withdrawn. They said the decision to shelve the aid offer and reassess relations with Turkey took place on Thursday after Vice President Richard Cheney telephoned Turkey's new Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan with a final appeal for the deployment of U.S. troops. Officials said Erdogan remained noncommital.

The U.S. aid package to Turkey included $5 billion in grants to Ankara, Middle East Newsline reported. The rest of the package would be comprised of loan guarantees.

Over the weekend, the U.S. Defense Department ordered at least six naval vessels from the Turkish coast toward the Persian Gulf. Another 10 U.S. ships are still in the eastern Mediterranan, many of them with equipment from the U.S. Army's 4th Infantry Division.

The withdrawal of the U.S. aid package was part of a White House reassessment of military cooperation with Turkey, officials said. They said Washington now opposes any Turkish military operations in northern Iraq.

On Friday, U.S. presidential envoy Zalmay Khalilzad warned Turkish leaders that the administration would not cooperate with Turkey forces in northern Iraq. Turkey is said to have up to 20,000 troops in northern Iraq and plans to send another 60,000 soldiers.

U.S. officials did not rule out the offer of another, more modest, aid package. They said U.S. aid would be limited to a $300 million modernization project of Turkish military bases and ports, which are now receiving U.S. supplies and vehicles.

[Happy2BMe]

So, is this some huge scheme by Turkey to make it look like they are resisting military venue to the U.S.

Quite elaborate - brilliant even.

[Steven W.]

Bush made an interesting statement today about Iraq borders remaining intact and the inference I had was that statement was a broadside directed at Turkey.

[freeforall]

Does the world still think Clintoon is Prez?

[Happy2BMe]

"Does the world still think Clintoon is Prez?"

Only in remote parts of Paris, France, Brussells, Belgium, Baghdad, Iraq, Ankara, Turkey and (last but not least) Hollywood, California.

[FreeCanuckistan]

Turkey's participation in this war looked shaky two months ago, this is no surprise......if anything, it's anti-climatic.

So what to do?.....Take name's, and move on.

[TimPatriot]

Leave a formidable force off shore of Turkey in case things get nasty in N. Iraq and Turkey tries to jump in? Gives them something to think about.

[angkor]

"We envisage a unified Iraq with its territorial integrity respected. All the Iraqi people - its rich mix of Sunni and Shiite Arabs, Kurds, Turkomen, Assyrians, Chaldeans, and all others - should enjoy freedom, prosperity, and equality in a united country."
--- STATEMENT OF THE ATLANTIC SUMMIT (AZORES)

Turkey is on notice that the Kurds are totally off-limits.

[wgeorge2001]

So glad. It would have been a wasted 15 billion;bribes are always bad buisness. Just like going to the U.N. for deadline dates; you'll never get it....
Diplospeak=war
Military might of America and Britain and coalition of the WILLING= peace.

[Cyber Liberty]

I don't think he was expecting Jordan to invade.

[FreeCanuckistan]

My guess is that Turkey won't "jump in". It's more of a mess than they'll want.

That said......nothing can be too predicable once the war starts. Keep in mind that the Turks can easily move a huge force southward if they choose to. Even the orignal 60,000 force of American GI's, wouldn't be enough for this aforementioned event.

Best things don't deteriorate to that level.

[arete]

That said......nothing can be too predicable once the war starts. Keep in mind that the Turks can easily move a huge force southward if they choose to. Even the orignal 60,000 force of American GI's, wouldn't be enough for this aforementioned event.

We have the clown patrol in charge of foreign policy and making war, and people are wondering what can go wrong? We can't even buy a friend and we have managed to align a significant part of the world against us. That's a real confidence builder. OBL must be amazed at our own incompetence.

Richard W.

[BullDog108]

BWA-HA-HA-HA-HA

YOU LOSE, a_Turk, NO SOUP 4 U!

[Jorge]

So, is this some huge scheme by Turkey to make it look like they are resisting military venue to the U.S.

Quite elaborate - brilliant even.

Yes, very convincing. Especially taking it all the way the deadline like this.
No one will ever suspect what the REAL plan is.

[Happy2BMe]

"Even the orignal 60,000 force of American GI's, wouldn't be enough for this aforementioned event."

Expound on that just a bit more please.

[Mark Hamilton]

I wish someone would explain to me how Turkey can have troops in Northern Iraq ? Isn't that already an incursion/invasion of Iraq, even if it is a protected zone for Kurds ?

This could be very sticky. The turkish military has made it clear that they want the US troops in turkey BUT have also said that they won't stand by if the US does not get basing permission.

It sounds like Northern Iraq, i.e. the entire Kurdish zone, will be occupied by Turkey and the oil fields will be a bone of contention, perhaps with the Americans.

[Tokhtamish]

If Turkey goes into Iraq bigtime they get the worst of all worlds. No EU membership. A nasty Kurdish war. No American support on either of the two aforementioned problems.

The Kurds have earned the autonomy they seek. We don't owe it to Turkey and Iran to keep them down.

[Just mythoughts]

Powell said this morning with Tony Snow that talks continue with Turkey.


This article claims U.S. Official that Bush administration.....

This sounds like somebody trying to muddy water. Is sir hillary planting stories?

[Joe Boucher]

LET"S GET READY TO RUMMMMBBBBLLLLEEEEEEEEE. And please Jesus look after our brave hero troops.

[Happy2BMe]

"YOU LOSE, a_Turk, NO SOUP 4 U!"

 

"You're pushing your luck, little man."

- The Soup Nazi, to George, in "The Soup Nazi"

 

[Happy2BMe]

"The Kurds have earned the autonomy they seek. We don't owe it to Turkey and Iran to keep them down."

Iraqi Kurdish special force soldiers wearing their new camouflaged uniforms and red berets drill at the Lesger Taaibet military camp near Atrush in northern Iraq (news - web sites), March 16, 2003. Some three thousand special force members out of the 80,000-strong Iraqi Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP), one of the two Kurdish factions in the region, are training at the camp.

A Kurdish special forces soldier from the Iraqi Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) is camouflaged behind trees during an exercise at the Lesger Taaibet military camp near Atrush in northern Iraq (news - web sites), March 16, 2003. Some three thousand special force members out of the 80,000-strong KDP, one of the two Kurdish factions in the region, are training at the camp against any possible war.

An Iraqi Kurd special forces soldier aims his Kalashnikov during training at the Lesger Taaibet military camp near Atrush in northern Iraq (news - web sites), March 16, 2003. Some three thousand special force members out of the 80,000-strong Iraqi Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP), one of the two Kurdish factions in the region, forces are training at the camp for any possible war.

Special forces members of the Iraqi Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP), one of the two Kurdish factions in the region, training at a military camp in Atrush in northern Iraq (news - web sites), about 100km (60 miles) from the Turkish border, March 16, 2003. With Iraq on a war footing, U.S. President George W. Bush (news - web sites) headed for an emergency summit on Sunday with close allies Britain and Spain that could start the countdown to an invasion.