MILLIYET- Columnist Taha Akyol comments on the mistakes made by both the US and Turkey in the leadup to the war in Iraq. A summary of his column is as follows:
The US is busy taking back equipment which it brought for the fourth US Army division, but other equipment is remaining in Turkey. Even its Sikorsky helicopters are preparing for flight. I asked, ‘The Sikorskys’ authorization for base modernization is limited to three months. How can they and the other equipment stay in Turkey much longer?’ And I got this answer: ‘They can stay on the condition that they are here for humanitarian purposes. Actually we’ve also permitted the medical treatment of injured US soldiers in Turkey.’ The US needs Turkey for logistical help in Iraq’s reconstruction in the postwar period. Turkey is giving its permission for this, and so now begins a new period of reconciliation in Turkish-US relations. The $1 billion in US aid pledged Monday is important in financial terms, but it’s also important in terms of being a positive sign.
My colleague Fikret Bila has written that the US might once again seek to send its soldiers through Turkish land. A new proposal could be prepared. Besides the fight against terrorism and Turkey’s status as a bridge nation -- factors which figure in the Turkish-US ‘strategic partnership’ -- the US’ need for Turkey is continuing and even increasing during this Iraq war. Turkey gave it permission for overflights and opened the door for humanitarian aid. If the war continues under more difficult circumstances, the US might need to use our bases and an acceptance of ‘full cooperation’ for a land operation as well. Ankara’s stance is as follows: ‘Opening bases is a separate issue. If the US really needs us, it would be better to reconsider full cooperation and for both sides to act more constructively.’ Actually both nations can now see more clearly the negative consequences of Parliament rejecting full cooperation back on March 1, that is, Turkey is suffering from serious economic difficulties and facing a storm over northern Iraq, and the US is facing unexpected serious problems on its southern front.
What was the US’ mistake? Actually it made many. First of all, it was a mistake to even begin this war. Clearly it planned it poorly. It made many blunders in its meetings with Ankara, too. For example, when Turkey was on the verge of agreeing to a set of terms, the next day the US inexplicably threw these terms out and started again from scratch. As a result, a crisis of confidence ensued. What’s more, even our public thinks that we handled this issue badly. However, we don’t want anti-US sentiment to take hold in Turkey.
US President George W. Bush should read the book ‘What Went Wrong’ by famed US historian Bernard Lewis and think through the possible results of these problems in the long run. At the stage we face now, both our nations should act decisively to show that the Turkish-US partnership is alive and well.
SOURCE: OFFICE OF THE PRIME MINISTER, DIRECTORATE GENERAL OF PRESS AND INFORMATION