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Europe
Turkey Ready To Accept U.S. Request Of Incerlik
2005-03-27
Turkey has signaled its readiness to allow U.S. use of the Incerlik air force base as a hub for American military operations. The Bush administration has been informed that the government of Prime Minister Recep Erdogan was ready to agree to an expanded U.S. presence at Incerlik, officials said. They said Erdogan, who would require parliamentary approval, would allow the U.S. military to use Incerlik for missions in Afghanistan and Iraq. "I expect a Turkish government decision on Incirlik very soon," Murat Mercan, deputy chairman of Turkey's ruling AKP party, said. "I don't know exactly when, but very soon." During a panel discussion on Turkey held by the Washington-based American Enterprise Institute, Mercan did not elaborate. But Turkish diplomats in Washington confirmed that Ankara has already relayed its readiness to approve the U.S. plan on Incerlik.
Posted by:Fred

#12  Better to have the Turk on our side, however unreliable, than against us. Some of you extremists seem to forget that.
Posted by: gromky   2005-03-27 11:43:36 PM  

#11  I still like the idea of Greater Kurdistan which would include eastern Turkey, part of Syria, northern Iraq and western Iran.
Posted by: SR-71   2005-03-27 9:57:19 PM  

#10  We have lots of possible bases in Iraq we can use. We may be getting some in Syria [wink, nudge] or Lebanon soon. If we need some in the northeast, well, how about Armenia?
Posted by: jackal   2005-03-27 9:14:42 PM  

#9  Forget the Turks. We don't need to give them more jobs and income, we don't need to give them any more leverage over our operations, and we don't need to offend our friends the Kurds. Let the Turks spend their time kissing up to the EU -- they deserve each other.
Posted by: Tom   2005-03-27 6:43:16 PM  

#8  Yup. And a lot of secular Turks are pissed at the consolidation of influence by the Kurds in Iraq. They were the ones that eventually killed having us come in from the north 2 years ago.
Posted by: too true   2005-03-27 9:54:21 AM  

#7  Been there; done that.

Recall the parliamentary approval was the sore thumb pre-invasion.
Posted by: Dennis Kucinich   2005-03-27 9:50:30 AM  

#6  And just what do they think will happen when we go after Syria or Iran.For a clue check-out what happen pre-Iraq.That shouild give you an idea about what the Turks will do.
Posted by: Raptor   2005-03-27 8:33:15 AM  

#5  Well we wouldn't want mosquitos breeding in all that stagnant water after the barracks were abandoned.

Why not? We can even send 'em some specimens from around these parts, West Nile and all... :)
Posted by: Bomb-a-rama   2005-03-27 4:57:17 AM  

#4  Well we wouldn't want mosquitos breeding in all that stagnant water after the barracks were abandoned.
Posted by: 11A5S   2005-03-27 1:30:46 AM  

#3  Lol! Only if one has no strong feelings, of course. Were it a vindictive act, it would be so wrong.
;-)
Posted by: .com   2005-03-27 12:54:57 AM  

#2  Concrete poured in all the drains and toilets is kind of a neat trick-fuck, PD.
Posted by: 11A5S   2005-03-27 12:52:14 AM  

#1  Who cares? Yeah, I know - I've heard it all. Screw pragmatism in this case. Blow up every Incirlik bldg, burn the underground tanks, level the revetments, and dig up the runways. Leave nothing remotely useful. Utter bullshit and 2 years too late in the bargain from the least reliable ex-ally imaginable. Take that finger, Erdy, and shove it up your ass. Burn in the Islamic fires. Do not call us, ever again.

Luckily, I don't have any strong feelings about them, of course.
Posted by: .com   2005-03-27 12:15:39 AM  

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