Ankara resists US radar base

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Financial Times

Ankara resists US radar base
By Daniel Dombey in Washington and Delphine Strauss in Ankara

Published: February 18 2010 23:28 | Last updated: February 18 2010 23:28

President Barack Obama’s missile defence plan to counter Iran is facing resistance in Turkey because Ankara is reluctant to host a radar base unless other Nato countries also increase their support for the system.

While the US has identified Turkey as the best land-based site to provide coverage of Iranian short and medium-range missiles, Ankara is worried about appearing to sign up to a bilateral compact with Washington against Tehran.

Mr Obama’s plans – which replaced proposals by George W Bush to place interceptor missiles in Poland and a radar in the Czech Republic against longer range Iranian missiles – are a central part of US efforts to counter Tehran’s nuclear and missile programmes and prevent a Middle East arms race.

Alexander Vershbow, the Pentagon’s top official on the Middle East and Europe, said in an interview that missile defence was increasingly important in “deterring Iran, trying to deny it potential to threaten and blackmail its neighbours and to protect US forces deployed in the region”.



Read more: http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/3fb04cf6-1cbb-11df-8d8e-00144feab49a.html?ftcamp=rss&nclick_check=1

[The Northerner]

1. Hats off to Turkey

Why the US military wants something like that over there while the country's is financially bankrupt is insane.

[bossy22]

4. we are far from financially bankrupt

bankruptcy occurs when you can no longer service your debt

[arikara]

7. Doesn't matter

if its serviced by monopoly money though.

[Socal31]

2. Resist.....riiiiiiight.....

This is either to show their citizens that they can stand up to the big bad US (much like Pakistan claiming to condemn the predator strikes), or it is to get Obama to sweeten the pot for them for going along with it.

[yava]

6. Its a PR problem

"Bring them on", "Y're with us or agaist us".
And the new stuff that Hillary has been saying all come to this about Iran: you are with us or you are with Iran. This is understandable if you are decided to strangle a regime.
But the issue of these missle-tracking radars is another story.
Presumably it is to protect against... So why put Turkey on the spot with all these speeches and publicity?
If extra-ordinary rendition and secret prisons and secret airlines exist, why can't we have secret radar and secret agreements with Turkey.
In who's interest is it to tell on the MSM that yes Turkey ,a country of 70 million, we want you to install our radars to spy on your neighbor, another country of 70 million?

[Downwinder]

3. Going into Iraq destroyed a lot of good will. n/t

[Rapier09]

5. Israel had a chat with Greece

Where they pointed out that Iran could help Turkey,Egypt and possibly Syria gain nuclear weaponry.

It is a statement to how far right the Israelie government that they can't be bothered to even pretend to be fair in regards to Muslims.

Throwing Turkey under the Bus,just because you hate anyone who prays towards Mecca was a truly stupid move on their part.I doubt Turkey is going to want to have anything to do with either the States or the country south of Lebanon.

God only knows how long they will stay in what passes for NATO these days.