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Print this article | Close this window Bases may be off-limits if US goes it alone in Iraq By Peter Fray November 2 2002 Ankara: A former Turkish ambassador to the United Nations has warned that his country would place key military bases out of bounds to United States strike planes if President George Bush insisted on attacking Iraq without a new UN resolution. Turkey, the only Muslim member of NATO, has several key strategic bases which the US military command, under General Tommy Franks, is negotiating to use for air strikes and on-ground support against neighbouring Iraq. The former ambassador, Inal Batu, now a senior member of the Republican People's Party (CHP), which is expected to play a key role in a coalition government after tomorrow's election, said Turkey could not stop the US using the Incirlik base, from which US and British aircraft patrol the no-fly zone in northern Iraq, but it could withhold approval for other key bases, near Diyarbakir, close to the Iraqi border. "We insist they must have a resolution from the UN before any military action." he said. Asked how Turkey would respond to a unilateral US attack, he said: "I do not think we'll be able to co-operate with them if they do so ... other Turkish bases will be out of touch for them." Mr Batu is a likely candidate for foreign minister in a coalition government between the CHP and the Islamist Justice and Development Party, which is expected to top tomorrow's poll. General Franks and General Joseph Ralston, supreme allied commander in Europe, recently held talks with the Turkish military, including the chief of staff, General Hilmi Ozkok, about Turkey's role in any Iraqi conflict. Turkish MPs and the military are understood to want huge debt relief from the US and new military equipment in return for co-operating in a war against Iraq. They also want the US to pressure the European Union, especially Germany, to drop its opposition to Turkey joining the EU. Turkey's President Ahmet Necdet Sezer, the caretaker Prime Minister, Bulent Ecevit, and politicians from other parties have recently warned that military action against Iraq would destabilise the region and called for a peaceful solution to the issue. Mr Ecevit called on the US to abandon the planned attack and warned that "the US cannot carry out this operation without us". But Western diplomats believe Turkey will eventually join the US-led assault against Saddam Hussein, if only to stop Kurds in southern Turkey and northern Iraq from forming a Kurdish homeland, based on the oil-rich Iraqi city of Kirkuk. This story was found at: http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2002/11/01/1036027036766.html ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ A<>E<>R + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + Forwarded as information only; I don't believe everything I read or send (but that doesn't stop me from considering it; obviously SOMEBODY thinks it's important) + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. section 107, this material is distributed without charge or profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving this type of information for non-profit research and educational purposes only. + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + "Always do sober what you said you'd do drunk. That will teach you to keep your mouth shut." --- Ernest Hemingway <A HREF="http://www.ctrl.org/";>www.ctrl.org</A> DECLARATION & DISCLAIMER ========== CTRL is a discussion & informational exchange list. Proselytizing propagandic screeds are unwelcomed. Substance—not soap-boxing—please! These are sordid matters and 'conspiracy theory'—with its many half-truths, mis- directions and outright frauds—is used politically by different groups with major and minor effects spread throughout the spectrum of time and thought. That being said, CTRLgives no endorsement to the validity of posts, and always suggests to readers; be wary of what you read. CTRL gives no credence to Holocaust denial and nazi's need not apply. Let us please be civil and as always, Caveat Lector. ======================================================================== Archives Available at: http://peach.ease.lsoft.com/archives/ctrl.html <A HREF="http://peach.ease.lsoft.com/archives/ctrl.html";>Archives of [EMAIL PROTECTED]</A> http://archive.jab.org/ctrl@;listserv.aol.com/ <A HREF="http://archive.jab.org/ctrl@;listserv.aol.com/">ctrl</A> ======================================================================== To subscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SUBSCRIBE CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED] To UNsubscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SIGNOFF CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED] Om
