Turkey becomes frontline state in war on terror

[NNN0LHI]

http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/N20408665.htm

WASHINGTON, Nov 20 (Reuters) - As this week's suicide bombings have underscored, Turkey's close ties to the United States and Israel and its role as a secular Muslim democracy in the volatile Middle East have propelled it into the front line in the war on terrorism.

Although Ankara, heeding public opinion, opposed the U.S. invasion of Iraq and recently withdrew an offer to send troops to help with the post-war U.S. occupation, its vulnerability was laid bare by a stunning series of catastrophic blasts in Istanbul -- two on Thursday and two last Saturday.

"The American invasion of Iraq has really done considerable damage to Western interests, particularly American and British interests, and also has polarized the region further," said Fawaz Gerges, a professor at Sarah Lawrence College.

Al Qaeda and other militant groups "try to exploit this sense of rage and victimization ... to continue their war against U.S. and Britain and also Muslim societies and governments," he told CNN.

more

[pdove]

1. Any possibility of our great tactics

Mossad and CIA agents are so clever to force Turkey to contribute forces.

[NNN0LHI]

2. Turkey has had troops in Iraq for years. Don't let no one kid you n/t

[Maple]

3. Frontline??

And next week it will be someone else.

[NNN0LHI]

4. That "someone else" business is what worries me n/t

[Cha]

5. This is what bush has wrought... this is what we said bush

would bring to the region and beyond. Don't tell me anyone is surprised!