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| Iraq |
| NATO May Protect Turkey in Case of War |
| 2003-02-06 |
| After weeks of opposition from France and Germany, NATO tentatively agreed Thursday to start carrying out an American military plan to protect Turkey in case of a war on Iraq. France and Germany or any other opponents have until Monday to raise objections, otherwise the military preparations will start automatically, NATO Secretary-General Lord Robertson said. Got them boxed in, they would have to go on record as voting against it. Diplomats said the planned measures include the deployment of AWAC surveillance planes, Patriot anti-missile systems, in-air refueling planes and NATO's anti-chemical, biological and nuclear weapons center. France, Germany and Belgium had held up the start of military planning requested by the United States for almost three weeks, arguing that it would send the wrong signal while U.N. efforts to avert a war continue. Three weasels After a meeting of the 19 allies, Lord Robertson announced the agreement to use the so-called "silence procedure" in implementing the plan. The "silence procedure" usually signifies agreement has been reached, but allows governments to look at the fine points back home before ultimately signing off. I guess this is "diplospeak" for agreeing without having to go on record as agreeing. "I'm confident we'll reach a decision early next week," he told reporters. He declined to give details of the proposed measures for the alliance to prepare for an Iraq war. Diplomats said some of the proposals originally put forward by Washington have been removed, notably planning for the alliance to play a peacekeeping role in a postwar Iraq. We don't want NATO peacekeeping troops, thank you. However, officials said those elements could be added later. Just before the decision was announced, Belgian Foreign Minister Louis Michel still signaled doubts. "It is premature to take a decision now already about the possible involvement of NATO in the Iraq crisis," Michel said in a statement. He added while he did not want "to reject that possibility out of hand ... the United Nations road must continue to be followed with the view to a diplomatic and peaceful solution." Going into the special meeting of NATO's policy-setting North Atlantic Council, Belgian officials indicated their country and France and Germany would continue to push for a delay, despite Secretary of State Colin Powell's indictment of Iraq's arms programs at the United Nations on Wednesday. Turkey, the only NATO member bordering Iraq and a likely launching pad for military action against Baghdad, also has appealed to the alliance to begin planning to protect it against any Iraqi counterstrike. "If this is not done, then the credibility and deterrence of the military alliance will come to zero," Turkish Foreign Minister Yaser Yakis warned last weekend in Ankara. Yup The three holdouts say they have no objections in principle to the proposals for protecting Turkey and other options set out by the United States, which include increased naval patrols in the Mediterranean and filling in for U.S. troops sent from the Balkans to the Persian Gulf. In a radio interview Thursday, French Foreign Minister Dominique de Villepin said France's view on war against Iraq was unchanged after Powell's speech, reiterating that "force can only be a last resort, but we do not exclude any possibility, including that of force." Trying to find a way out Luxembourg, which had stood alongside the French, Germans and Belgians in opposing the start of planning, said Wednesday it would now back Turkey's appeal for NATO help. Luxembourg must have slipped their leash. |
| Posted by:Steve |
| #3 Sounds as if the only thing saving the French |
| Posted by: Frank G 2003-02-06 14:21:30 |
| #2 BTW, I think US approval Tuesday night of the UN Resolution supporting the French intervention in the Ivory Coast was the quid pro quo for NATO approval here. Too bad we have to betray the Ivory Coastians to get support from our so-called "allies." |
| Posted by: paj 2003-02-06 13:01:56 |
| #1 This is the dual path with negotiating with the Turkish parliament. Under Turkish law, the security council (military-dominated and pro-US) is the sole authority that must approve NATO actions, but non-NATO actions require approval by the Muslim-dominated parliament. The US is trying to find the cheapest path - either bribing the Turkish parliament, or bribing France and Germany and their puppet Belgium. |
| Posted by: paj 2003-02-06 12:50:19 |