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Turkey Military Asks Approval For US Troops
Turkey's top military and civilian leaders called on the government Friday to ask parliament for approval for the basing of foreign troops in Turkey or the deployment of Turkish troops abroad. The decision by the powerful National Security Council comes as Washington has been pressing Turkey to allow U.S. troops to be based in the country for a possible strike on Iraq. Turkish generals have repeatedly said that they want to deploy soldiers in northern Iraq if there is a war to maintain stability. The Council, which groups the top Cabinet members and generals, issued its recommendation after a 6 1/2 hour meeting. This is an important step. It means the senior civilian and military leaders have agreed that war is most likely coming. "The National Security Council recommends ... that peaceful means continue to be sought, and on the other hand that parliament take steps in accordance with Article 92 against unwanted developments and activate military measures necessary to protect Turkey's national interests," the Council said in a statement. Article 92 of the Turkish constitution says that any decision to send Turkish troops abroad or host foreign troops in Turkey must be approved by parliament. Council members did not speak after the meeting. The council traditionally issues short statements after its meetings and does not elaborate. It will be interesting to see how this plays out. Posted by: Steve 2003-01-31 |
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