Have Turkey And The U.S. Really Overcome Their Crisis Of Confidence?

BY CUNEYT ARCAYUREK (CUMHURIYET)
Columnist Cuneyt Arcayurek writes on US Secretary of State Colin Powell’s visit to Turkey earlier this week. A summary of his column is as follows:
Our politicians are still busy evaluating US Secretary of State Colin Powell’s recent visit to Turkey in a bid to determine what the US and Turkey both gained and lost during the top diplomat’s meetings in Ankara.
What did the US promise Turkey? First of all, a Kurdish state will not be established in northern Iraq. Turkey will assume an active role in postwar Iraq’s reconstruction. The rush of Iraqi refugees towards Turkey’s borders will be stopped at refugee camps set up in northern Iraq. Furthermore, a monitoring committee will be established to follow developments in the region and monitor Kurdish groups there.
It also seems that the Bush administration has persuaded Turkey not to enter the region. However, Powell rejected Ankara’s request for a written agreement meant to ease its concerns. Our government is striving to prove to the Bush administration that Turkey is still loyal to the US. Our politicians are trying to restore the good health of bilateral relations -- yes, that’s exactly what they are trying to do! Does the US need a country to provide additional humanitarian aid? Or do US troops need fuel and food? Here is Turkey to provide such supplies at all costs! Our airspace, railways and highways are all at your disposal. Have US warplanes suffered damaged? Send them to Diyarbakir or the Incirlik Airbase, and we’ll fix them right up for you so that you can get back to repeatedly bombing the Iraqi people! We’re your friend, ally and a loyal strategic partner. Please don’t get your feathers ruffled! Please don’t try to settle scores with us! Please don’t be disappointed! The Justice and Development Party (AKP) government didn’t hesitate for even an instant to satisfy your demands, and acted so fast that Turkish trucks carrying US military vehicles and equipment reached northern Iraq even before the newspaper ink on Powell’s visit had time to dry, and even before an agreement was even reached! The Chief of General Staff’s Office has verified that these vehicles went to northern Iraq at the request of the US. How did our opposition and media, who pride themselves on their cleverness, miss this crucial point?
According to media reports, Powell’s visit pleased both countries. Our strained bilateral relations were fixed. But why wouldn’t a US government whose demands were all willingly met by our country without even signing a written agreement indeed be satisfied? Under such circumstances, the Bush administration would of course soften its tone. Is this really that difficult to understand?
The fact is the Bush administration has finally managed to transform Turkey wholesale into one of its military bases to provide US troops with food and fuel.
Some journalists are saying that the crisis of confidence between our two countries has been completely overcome. Are we really that foolish?

SOURCE: OFFICE OF THE PRIME MINISTER, DIRECTORATE GENERAL OF PRESS AND INFORMATION