Safire: The Turkish Card

"Self government for the people of Iraq," a resolute President Bush told the U.N., would be "reached by orderly and democratic process . . . neither hurried nor delayed by the wishes of other parties." That was America's answer to those who want to see us fail in rebuilding a free Iraq.

Will nations that refused to help overthrow the dictator now join us to finish the job? Will Iraqis welcome such assistance to end the sabotage and sniping by Saddam's diehards?

A key to both answers lies in Turkey, the only democracy bordering Iraq. The new Turkish government made the mistake of appearing to put a price tag for its cooperation before the war, to our dismay; now that breach is healing.

I put it directly to Abdullah Gul, Turkey's foreign minister here for the U.N. meeting: Will his nation answer the Bush request for a substantial force to help bring stability to Iraq? Answer: "Public opinion in Turkey is changing. A peaceful, stable Iraq is in Turkey's interest. If our government decides to send this recommendation to the Parliament, which meets next week, I believe Parliament will not refuse."

Is another U.N. resolution required? "It would be helpful, as would the invitation of the Iraqi Governing Council," Mr. Gul replied. What say Turkey's generals, who were silent before the war as Parliament refused transit to U.S. troops? "This time, the army supports going down there."

Mr. Gul, who now strikes me as a real statesman, emphasized that Turkey's response to requested aid to the new Iraq would not be limited to troops experienced in fighting terrorism. Electric power supply, water purification teams, doctors and medical supplies are part of the package offered. That would help establish a new relationship between the ethnically different peoples of the two Muslim nations.

But that leads to the next question: Will Iraqi leaders we appointed to the Governing Council support the Bush-Blair call for additional foreign troops to restore order until Iraqi police are trained?

As befits a diverse group, the council is split. Those I spoke to would welcome Arabic-speaking Jordanian, Omani or Moroccan peacekeepers. But Muslim identity is not enough; not all Iraqis are eager to see Pakistanis, Indians or Turks joining the coalition forces already on duty.

Some of the council members claim they can police Iraq with local militias, as Iraqi Kurds — protected from Saddam for a decade by our air forces — have done in the north. But that quick-fix notion fits all too well with the demands of France and Russia that we get out hastily, before making certain that no civil war breaks out or new dictator seizes power.

Freed after a generation under a crippling tyranny, some of our appointees to the Governing Council are tempted, in F.D.R.'s phrase, "to throw their crutches at the doctor." That's understandable, but our selectees have not yet earned the right from fellow Iraqis to walk the democratic walk. First comes the military mop-up; then comes constitutional sovereignty; then elections "neither hurried nor delayed" to bestow legitimacy and set an example for the Arab world.

Reached by cellphone in a New York elevator, Ahmad Chalabi, this month's council chairman (and longtime Pentagon favorite) expressed fervent gratitude to the U.S., then added, "We will have differences but will not be `at odds.' " He reported that Turkish representatives wisely have been talking to Iraqi community and tribal leaders. "There are open questions: How many Turks? Where will they go? When will they leave?"

We should encourage such Turkish-Iraqi interaction so long as it paves the way to setting an example for the sharing of the responsibilities of temporary occupation. My Iraqi Kurdish friends worry about the Turks, and vice versa. Each has historical reason to suspect the other's motives, but the late Mullah Mustafa Barzani was shrewd enough to make alliances with the future welfare of the Kurdish people in mind.

"So let us move forward," as Bush told the U.N. Let secular, democratic Turkey join the coalition; let Iraqi politicians curry voter favor by espousing early sovereignty; let local militias develop intelligence leads to Saddamites and hidden weapons; let the U.N. do its vital humanitarian thing. And let the liberators that sacrificed most decide when to declare victory and go home.

Nope. Not that simple. Blame Powell. Before Gulf War I, James Baker courted Turkey feverishly--arranging several calls with Bush 41 and personally visiting Ankara 4 TIMES before hostilities began. Not only did Powell not visit Turkey even a single time (during a far longer prep time than 1990-91), he left much of the dealings to subordinates, and played nasty and patronizingly on the loan issue. Turkish papers portrayed a nation as America's prostitute, and having been dissed by Washington. They are a proud people, and said to hell with $30 billion...the U.S. could go screw. All thanks to Powell.

Powell is proving more inept with each passing test. He is a real liability to this Adminsitration.

"A peaceful, stable Iraq is in Turkey's interest. If our government decides to send this recommendation to the Parliament, which meets next week, I believe Parliament will not refuse."

Amazing! What Dubya did to pull this off will emerge in due course - but in contemplating this most positive development I think back on what my younger brother, a doctor doctor up in the Adirondaks, and a recovering liberal, said to me a year or so ago re the President. He said, "Don't play poker with George W. Bush." Or, to put it another way, underestimate this man at your own peril. The only thing Dubya has done lately to bug me is coming aboard in that Hoover. He should have taken about five FCLP rides prior to the day in question [sub silentio] and then come aboard by himself in a single seat F-18. Screw the SS [bunch of bedwetters] and at least 15 quisling senators would have died of apoplexy right then and there. How do I know he could do it? First, he definitely has the balls, as in the case when he stood up in front of the whole country and pitched a hard strike down the middle on opening day. If most of us tried to do that it would be in the dirt or up in the press box. Second, he has the motor skills because he flew the F-102 lead sled and didn't bust his a&s. I mean, there were worse airplanes but not many. And finally, given that Fate placed him in that machine, his humility is real, not feigned. Any F8 driver will tell you this is true.

It would be interesting to see how a lot of the events of the past two years would have been different if somebody like Baker or Cheney were heading State.

Our President is being poorly advised by Powell/Armitage and now, sadly, Rice. I think he should move Don Evans in at Chief of Staff to shake things up.

My Iraqi Kurdish friends worry about the Turks, and vice versa. Each has historical reason to suspect the other's motives, but the late Mullah Mustafa Barzani was shrewd enough to make alliances with the future welfare of the Kurdish people in mind.

Pretty fair treatment of Turkey -- except for the cheap shot reference to haggling -- considering Safire has been described as a "longtime Kurdophile" in a slate.msn.com, Friday, March 14, 2003 article by Timothy Noah.

In fact just a few months ago Mr. Safire published a long interview with Mullah Mustafa Barzani called "The Kurdish Ghost." He wrote "my friend Mullah Mustafa granted me this interview from the Great Beyond." He then devoted his entire column to the imaginary interview.

The haggling reference was a cheap shot because money was not the deciding issue. Money was not even the main issue. But because the American press was too lazy and or stupid to understand Turkey's national security concerns it was how our press reported it. The insults greatly affected Turkish public opinion and further doomed the troop agreement.

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.