Below is from: http://www.turks.us
It is based on a current article from the Turkish site of MSNBC. According to the original MSNBC article, Pakistan is also expected to send troops to Iraq. Turkey has to pass a resolution from the Parliament to send the troops and this time, they will do it as it looks, despite that almost everybody is against this in Turkey. It seems from the article that Pakistan is still thinking. If Pakistan also decides to come in, they want to it after the Turkish troops enter Iraq so that they can justify their involvement to the Pakistani opposition, which is the majority of Pakistanis. > Start < Details of the meeting between Turkey and the US become clear and Ankara is expected to take part in west and north Baghdad. The details of the agreement between Turkey and the US indicated that around 10,000 Turkish troops would go to Iraq to deploy in west and north of Baghdad as peacekeeper force, news channel NTV reported today. In addition to this, the US said that Turkish troops could work in its own sector and under a Turkish commander. According to deal, the US first demanded 16,000 troops from Turkey, but Ankara replied that it could deploy just 10,000, but on the other hand this number could increase up to situation and conditions. Alongside Turkey, Azerbaijani and Albanian troops would able to be launched and the US started initiative for proving participation of the countries to peace forces. Meanwhile the US assured that it could contribute to pay some expenses of Turkish soldiers, but details of the issue was not clear yet. > End < And below is an English translation of an article by the Radikal columnist Ismet Berkan, a fucking non-human and a pro-US bustard, possibly on the payroll of Washington, who explains why we should send troops to Iraq. It is at: http://www.turkishpress.com/turkishpress/news.asp?ID=12629 Also see the article entitled "Powell Says U.S. Will Ask Other Nations to 'Do More' in Iraq" in today's New York Time at: http://www.nytimes.com/2003/08/21/international/worldspecial/21CND-DIPLO .html > Start < The Main Question On Iraq Troop Deployment BYEGM: 8/21/2003 BY ISMET BERKAN RADIKAL- Columnist Ismet Berkan comments on the prospect of Turkey deploying its troops to Iraq. A summary of his column is as follows: The United Nations' headquarters in Baghdad fell prey Tuesday to a huge truck-bomb attack that killed more than 20 UN staffers and injured scores more. All of these people had left their own warm, safe homes and were in Baghdad just to try and help the Iraqis. As I watched the horrific scenes of the shattered building and bleeding victims on television, two retired generals were commenting on this devastating incident. I couldn't believe my ears. These two retired generals, who I believe were once engaged in our own fight against terrorism, were simply shedding crocodile tears. On the surface they seemed sad, but inside they were very pleased indeed. There is a new trend in Turkey which I call 'reactive politics,' a sheer reflexive stance induced by a reaction to the West and particularly to the US. One may find the Iraq war unjust, but one should also realize the gravity of the actual situation there. We are Turkish citizens. That is why we must see things from Turkey's side. If this perspective is pointing at some foreign policy issues, then of course, we must feel ourselves bound by certain moral rules. I think that the main question we need to answer is this: Would a stable, democratic Iraq - if that at all is possible, given that the country is being dragged further into chaos with each passing day - serve Turkey's interests or not? In other words, would a chaotic situation in Iraq, one in which invasion forces get bogged down in a swamp by mounting terrorist attacks and a prolonged state of turmoil, be to our country's benefit? Could a possible US failure in Iraq - as our two retired generals possibly wished - actually work in Turkey's best interests? It is one thing to debate whether the future stability of Iraq would be to Ankara's benefit, and it's quite another to discuss the prospect of sending Turkish troops there to help Iraq's stabilization. SOURCE: OFFICE OF THE PRIME MINISTER, DIRECTORATE GENERAL OF PRESS AND INFORMATION > End <
