OUR "FRIENDS" IN TURKEY

Submitted by mariana (United States), May 17, 2007 at 14:08

There have been more recent and ominous confirmations of hostile and aggressive intentions and behaviors by Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his AKP's .

In early [Feb?] 2007, first Turkey's Foreign Minister [I believe], and then Pres. Recep Tayip Erdogan himself, came to DC on state visits. Each of them announced [in separate, extensive TV interviews] that the US had only a "very short time" to get the Kurds under control and to deal with the PKK in Kurdistan [when pushed with "How much time?, one suggested "only a couple of months"], or Turkey "...would have to deal with it, ourselves."

This March 2003 incident referenced in the MEMI piece, was a good deal more ominous than Turkey's simply having "refused US transit through Turkey." Believing he had Bush over a barrel, Turkey's price involved the explicit, extortionate demands that Turkey [be permitted/authorized to] send its military into Northern Iraq as their "all or none" contribution: Kurdistan for the transit permission and help from the Turk military. This refusal caused a total change in the plans for the Iraq Invasion, denying Gen. Tommy Franks' 4th Force entering Iraq simultaneously from the North.

Turkey has long lusted over "reclaiming" the approximately 1/3 of Iraq from Kirkuk northward [lost by Ottoman Empire], "liberating" and "annexing" all the territory including the Kirkuk oil fields north to Turkey. Such a catastrophic betrayal of the Kurds [again] would obviously NOT be in America's security interest. Fifty years of US-Turkey cordiality has, for all intents and purposes, ended as of March '03.

Pres. Bush's courageous refusal to "submit" to this Islamist's power grab, has gone totally unheralded by the Media farce we call "the Fourth Estate," and totally ignored by the Congressional Dems [who are more interested in mischief than security policy].

Perhaps the Italians [most recent EU member to balk at EU admission for Turkey] had legitimate reasons, and shouldn't be "blown off" so easily.

While Bush's coolly cautious policies toward Turkey thus far have been appropriate, I'd prefer to see a more "muscular" responses. Bush needs to spend the last 20 months of his Presidency, issuing "Findings" and "Executive Orders" which would totally re-order our Foreign Policy to one that explicitly serves American Interests first and foremost; this would include severe punishments to go along with the "rewards" Uncle Sugar has been spreading generously around the world. He needs to implement his: "You're either WITH US or AGAINST US." Thus far, it's been mostly words, and utilization of any "stick" has not been apparent. mariana

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