Columnists like the one below are the fucking war party in
Turkey.

Who knows where the so-claimed $200 million the US distributed to
the columnists/anchormen in the Middle East went?

Sabri

+++++++++++++

Turkey And The U.S., Talking War

BYEGM: Tuesday, February 04, 2003

HURRIYET- Columnist Sedat Ergin writes about negotiations on US
requests of Turkey ahead of a possible war against Iraq. A
summary of his column is as follows:

Yesterday, the Justice and Development Party (AKP) government
took a major step towards meeting US requests for a possible war
against Iraq by officially beginning negotiations on details of
cooperation between our two countries.

Under the 1980 Defense and Economic Cooperation Agreement between
the two countries, the US is allowed to use its military bases in
Turkey only within the framework of NATO objectives, as both
countries are members of the alliance. Thus there is now a legal
vacuum regarding US use of these bases for a possible Iraq
offensive, as NATO has yet to take an official stance on the
issue. Under these circumstances, it is up to Parliament to pass
a resolution allowing American troops to be stationed in our
country, and a series of agreements is needed to clarify the
scope of cooperation between Turkey and the US.

First of all, a protocol has to be drawn up regarding proposed
upgrading and construction at Turkish airbases and ports the US
wants to use. Moreover, another protocol is needed to regulate
the legal status of some 4,000 American personnel made up of
engineers and logistics experts who will carry through the
construction. These two problems await urgent solution, as the US
is planning to start an operation by the end of this month.

Yet, there is more. At least 10 different agreements have to be
drawn up concerning the legal status of US troops and their role
in a war. For instance, two separate protocols are needed for
those who will fight on the frontlines in Iraq and those who stay
in Turkey and provide logistic support. Several other legal
documents have to be drawn up to establish the ground rules for
US troops’ entries and exits into and out of our country, planes’
takeoffs and landings, and ships that will use Turkish ports.

However, the most important issue of all is that Turkey must
pressure the US to sign a binding agreement to compensate our
country’s possible economic losses in case of a conflict.


SOURCE: OFFICE OF THE PRIME MINISTER, DIRECTORATE

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