TURKIYE- Columnist Yilmaz Oztuna comments on sending troops to serve in the International Security and Assistance Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan. A summary of his column is as follows:
Many wealthy nations, such as Germany and Britain in addition to Turkey, were willing to take over the command of the international force known as the ISAF in Afghanistan. None of them are raising their voices to volunteer now. Afghanistan is an ethnically complex country. It has almost no infrastructure (for example, there isn’t a mile of railroad trade laid down there). It lies in a highly mountainous region. It has become obvious that the Europeans do not want to come between the quarrels of tribes in such geography. They would rather have Asians such as Bangladeshis, Jordanians and us on the front lines. Turkey’s situation has another aspect. Is it preferred for Turkey to be in need of the United States regarding the contingent in Afghanistan, when a military operation against Iraq begins? In Washington, there are scenarios involving Turkish units entering northern Iraq to protect US troops giving military training to the opponents of Saddam’s regime. That is to say, we shall ensure that Saddam will not prevent the establishment of a Kurdish army! Although it may seem nonsensical, we have witnessed many such projects in the last half-century. We have to distinguish the facts from untruths. In fact we must be able to see two steps ahead and take immediate and informed decisions. We believe in the government and the coalition leaders as there is no other alternative. However, in crucial decisions such as sending troops abroad, the Turkish Parliament must be included in the process and the national will must be expressed in the fullest sense of the word. Our Asian adventure in 1918 led to the collapse of an Empire for us. Let us not forget our location as a European state for even a moment.
SOURCE: OFFICE OF THE PRIME MINISTER, DIRECTORATE GENERAL OF PRESS AND INFORMATION