HURRIYET- Columnist Oktay Eksi comments on the Justice and Development Party’s stance on the Iraqi crisis. A summary of his column is as follows:
The US seems to have dropped any pretense of politeness. According to one US diplomat, the Bush administration already regrets voicing its requests to Turkey back in December in polite terms rather than insistently. Now the US wants to say, ‘Either you pass the necessary proposal through Parliament by Feb. 18, that is, even as you’re reading these lines, or our 50-year friendship will be nothing but a fond memory.’ For example, Hurriyet’s Washington correspondent Kasim Cindemir quoted one US official as saying, ‘If Parliament doesn’t pass the proposal, we will review our relations and they could suffer enormous damage. We wouldn’t forget such a thing.’ As a matter of fact, Turkish journalists in Washington are reflecting the same atmosphere: ‘We should either say yes to the US’ requests immediately, or we can no longer expect the US to be tolerant and friendly towards us in any way.’
It’s impossible to understand the US’ emotional stance because actually Turkey has for many years asked the US for support whenever it go into trouble. In return, the US always considered Turkey’s requests positively, except on the Cyprus issue and developments in Iraq. The US has done all these things, but none of them contradicted the US’ national interests. However, the US is now asking Turkey to do things which nobody believes to be in Turkey’s best interests. For example, the US wants Turkey to join its military operation against Iraq alongside US forces, even if this action would violate international law.
The US also wants Turkish soldiers to be commanded by US commanders, although a war wouldn’t be a NATO operation. The US is also saying, ‘We will meet this much of your loss -- the figure isn’t clear yet -- owing to this war but we won’t be involved in the rest.’ What’s worse, the resistance of the Justice and Development Party (AKP) government, which has been defending Turkey’s interests peacefully, is getting weaker and weaker with each passing day. For example, Prime Minister Abdullah Gul had previously said that Parliament wouldn’t consider the US requests without a second United Nations resolution, but now he’s abandoned that stance. AKP leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who had called Turkish soldiers receiving orders from US commanders a ‘humiliation’ and an ‘insult,’ has since fallen silent. And at the same time, there are other reports saying that 30,000 of our soldiers will be getting orders from US commanders. Truly, did the US ask Turkey’s opinion at all before getting involved in this business?
SOURCE: OFFICE OF THE PRIME MINISTER, DIRECTORATE GENERAL OF PRESS AND INFORMATION