Turkey says will not send troops to Iraq

[NNN0LHI]

http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/L07675424.htm

ANKARA, Nov 7 (Reuters) - Turkey has decided against deploying troops to help its NATO partner the United States secure postwar Iraq, a government source said on Friday.

NATO's only Muslim country, Turkey has been troubled by how to react the U.S.-led war in Iraq, first barring U.S. troops from attacking its neighbour from Turkish soil, then, only after much bargaining, last month agreeing to send Turkish troops to help its biggest ally in the occupation of Iraq.

Now Ankara has changed its mind once again.

"The government has decided not to implement the motion to send troops to Iraq," the source told reporters.

more

[LittleApple81]

1. Didn't they slam the US invasion administration for not getting

their ducks (Iraqis) in a row before asking them for troops?

[cosmicdot]

2. what sweet heart deals - money, weapons, etc., have fast-tracked?

U.S. aid offer prods Turkey on troops for Iraq
Brian Knowlton NYT Wednesday, September 10, 2003


But the State Department, in a letter to congressional committees obtained by Reuters, said that it had decided to go forward with the $8.5 billion in loans to Turkey to support its "economic reform process" and to cushion the shock of the war in Iraq. The first disbursement would come as early as Sept. 20.

http://iht.com/articles/109421.html

[mw]

3. Damn that Turkey and their Democratic ways!!!!

Ain't it funny. Turkey is arguably the most developed democracy in the mideast, and because of it, cannot thwart the will of their people by supporting Shrub's dirty little war.

Sweet, sweet, irony. Shrub, The Undemocratic One, foiled by pesky democracy once again!

[htuttle]

4. Wonder if Wolfowitz will urge the Turkish military to have another coup...

...like he did back right before the invasion?

Here's a link to the last time:

http://www.commondreams.org/views03/0516-03.htm

Then up steps Paul Wolfowitz, saying that the Turkish military had not played ''the strong leadership role that we would have expected.'' Does that mean that, in Wolfowitz's view, there should have been a military coup? Or that the Turkish generals should have threatened the Parliament? In the Turkish context there is every reason to interpret the deputy secretary of defense's remarks in that way.

Here's another link on this, and includes a fascinating bit of an interview Wolfowitz gave about Turkey before the war:
http://www.house.gov/frank/wolfowitz2003.html

BTW, if anyone thinks these people have the mental capacity to admit their mistakes and change course, here's an excerpt from that interview that bears quoting:

Voice: Were you surprised that when you heard that the Turkish Parliament rejected it?

Wolfowitz: They didn’t reject.

CNN Turks: Passed through?

Wolfowitz: They didn’t pass through. In fact lets, I don’t know how many Americans are going to watch this program but lets not keep mis-educating people that Turkey’s parliament rejected it. They did not get the majority that was needed and it’s true we did not get the full support that was needed.

"It didn't fail -- it merely didn't get the support it needed and didn't pass..."

:eyes:

We're just corkscrewing in here, aren't we?...

[mw]

5. Yea. And we didn't "reject" Bush at the polls in 2000

Bush just got fewer popular and electoral votes.

[Barrett808]

6. So, will Turkey give back the $8.5 billion in load guarantees? n/t

n/t

[realFedUp]

7. another thread on this:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=205506

[cliss]

8. Yup. That sounds just like

Wolfowitz. I just got done reading a 20-page report on him; as far as his career, what he has done, etc.

He's an analyst. A pencil pusher. The depth of his knowledge of human relations runs as far as moving chess pieces around on a board. He really does view people as pawns.

And it must be unbelievably infuriating for him when those little pawns out there don't do what he wants them to. Fool.

[TahitiNut]

9. duplicate

See http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=205506

Thank you for your understanding and cooperation,
TahitiNut - DU moderator