Friendship between Turkey and U.S. is seen as in trouble

Washington Times ^ | 5.25.2003 | Andrew Borowiec

[rface]

NICOSIA, Cyprus

[rface]

what do you think?

[Dog Gone]

I think Turkey is in the same situation with the US as Germany is.

They both elected a bad government, although Turkey's is more inept than evil.

I think both countries will rectify that mistake in coming years, and that the long-term damage to relations is manageable.

[vbmoneyspender]

According to the left-wing Istanbul newspaper Aydinlik, the United States "viewed Turkey as a key country that would open the gates of Asia for Washington.

"By rejecting to open a northern front during the Iraqi war ... Turkey has actually locked the gates of Asia for the United States."

I wonder if the good people at Aydinlik are familiar with the phrase "locking the gate after the horse has already left the barn."

[templar]

Everyone, every country, sees it from their own point of view.

I'm wondering what our position would be, at some theoretical time in the future, if a country going to war with Mexico was perceived as supporting the Mexican population in our southwest forming an independant breakaway state from our southwestern States. Or if that was perceived as a highly probable result of that hypothetical war.

[Mister Baredog]

Reports and comments in the highly nationalistic Turkish press have accused the United States

Another country being "led over the cliff" by incitement. It seems this is standard fare in the "religion of peace" part of the world. Maybe they don't really want to join the EU either, who knows?

[curmudgeonII]

Unforunate. The Turks proved to be the best fighters in the UN forces in Korea and have been a major ally of the U.S. up until the recent election of a Muslim extremist as their head man.

[PiP PiP Cherrio]

Why are you asking A_Turk? He vehemently supports the Bosnian Muslim and Albanian campaign to rid the region of all anti-Islam beings.

Turkey has the highest and most despicable Human Rights Records. They deny their faults, as they deny the Turkish killing of a million plus Armenians, the desecration of Serbian monuments, religious and educational institutioins from the past four centuries. Yet, they decry they are a modern civilization? Far from it as their records speak for themselves. The US covered the Turkish atrocities/conditions as the US wanted and needed their bases. Now, watch that Turkey is on the US sht-list, Turkish dung will splatter for the world to see.

[Jumper]

While the US and Turkey may be at odds, the significance of Turkey dropped drastically in the geopolitical aftermath of the Iraq war. The US now has troops and favorable relations with all the 'stands from the old USSR, Afgan and Iraqi govts/bases. Iran and Syria are now faced with direct US pressure to resolve peacefully, if they choose, the Mid East Conflict and neither have any hopes that France has the economic might or political willpower to continue enabling their terror to continue. France dumped Israel in 1967 for the Arabs and in both political policy and trade you can see the clear ties. This is all changing rapidly. Back to Turkey and the US will continue to support them in their efforts to join the EU which plays nicely into further dividing the new trade cartel and weakening French and German holds on other nations as their 40% share declines and the Islamic voice within the EU grows. Moreover, the new ploy in Washington, D.C. last week by Israeli diplomats told the EU they are considering an application as well, will definitely cause a stir with the normal EU ties to the Arabs and their history with the holocaust (Bush message to the EU via Israel to get on the road map wagon or see the G8 meeting be less productive)!

[rface]

I think your analysis is good - but a concern I have, and I believe it to be true: .... and the Islamic voice within the EU grows..... and it looks as if we encourage these voices to grow. What happens when Islamic culture dominates Europe?

[Jumper]

What happens when Islamic culture dominates Europe? To answer your question from here in Brussels, one only has to look around and grin (of course I'm an American and can leave); this question is being asked by every single Belgik I know and they are upset. It sure makes a nice policy anchor to weight down the enemy's political-economical agressiveness.

Actually, the high rate of growth in the Arab population in EUrope will now slow as these folks will try to literally "have" all the "things" EUropeans themselves want materially. This means fewer children! Coupled with the aging of the EU population and the squeeze on socialism overhere, less benefits and more taxes for interim; less maneuver room for harlot nations like France to screw us.

[Malesherbes]

Interesting commentary from someone on the ground in Belgium. By the way, "less benefits and more taxes" sounds like California.

[Bill Davis FR]

radical islam is slowly but surely taking control of the turkish government...

[a_Turk]

I think that there are never any blind firendships in foreign policy.

I think the amount of trade between Turkey and her great ally America is pathetic.

I think the US congress blocking arms sales to Turkey at the height of her war on terror was despicable.

I think the US needs to produce those WMD..

Finally, I think it's never too late for honesty and trustwortyness. Without it there can be no loyalty.