The Van Der Galiën Gazette, Netherlands
Oct 12 2007

Turkey Ready To Pay the Price if it Invades Iraq – Erdogan’s Message
to Democrats

Oct 12th, 2007 by Michael van der Galiën

In what, I’m sure, will make the Democrats who supported the
resolution condemning the Ottoman Empire and the Republic of Turkey
very happy, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that his
country will `not be deterred by the diplomatic consequences if it
decides to stage a cross-border offensive into Iraq against Kurdish
rebels. `If such an option is chosen, whatever its price, it will be
paid,’ he said adding that Turkey doesn’t take anyone else’s
interests into account (anymore): `There could be pros and cons of
such a decision, but what is important is our country’s interests.’
He also had a friendly message for the US in response to its
opposition to a possible Turkish incursion: `Did they seek permission
from anyone when they came from a distance of 10,000 kilometers and
hit Iraq? We do not need anyone else’s advice.’ He also had a message
for Democrats specifically: `Democrats are harming the future of the
United States and are encouraging anti-American sentiments.’With
regards to whether or not a Turkish invasion of Iraq could destroy
the relationship with the US Erdogan said: `Let it snap from wherever
it gets thin.’ As CNN explains, that’s a Turkish expression `that
means breaking ties with someone or something.’I’ve predicted this
reaction and I’m afraid that Turkey will indeed invade northern Iraq
within little to no time. Turkey has been greatly insulted by the
resolution. It has refrained from acting in its own immediate
interest for many months, even years, but it was already fed up with
the PKK attacks and that little patience that was left has now
definitely run out. Bush should travel to Turkey himself, or send
Rice or Cheney. A serious diplomatic effort is needed. At the same
time, they’ve got to do whatever they can to encourage the full House
not to vote for the resolution.Democrats decided to play partisan
politics: one Congressman and the Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi
decided that this resolution would help them get reelected. Pelosi
seems to care more about the future of the Democratic Party than
about US foreign policy and the situation in the Middle East (which
is something that doesn’t just influence the US itself, but the rest
of the world as well). This is not a topic on which caution is
required: this was a major mistake and if I were American I would
consider calling on Pelosi to resign because she has made the
situation in the Middle and Near East even less stable than it
already was.Frankly, I think that the Democrats’ support for this
resolution shows everyone just how arrogant they are. Not only do
they distort the facts, they also seem to have a rather strange idea
of how one becomes a moral authority. Hint: you don’t become one by
condemning others.This subject angers me to no end. It’s not just
that I think that there’s more (or less dependent on your
perspective) to what happened between 1914 and 1918 than the
Democrats and their Armenian friends want to believe, but mostly
because this will do great damage to the relationship between the
West in general and Turkey and it will (and has) make (made) the
situation in the Middle East significantly less stable. It will
alienate many Turks. It will encourage Turkey to focus more on the
East. It will made the war against radical Islam more difficult.
Turkey is the NATO country with the 2nd largest military. Weapons
used in the war in Iraq are moved through Turkey. And… should I
continue?The Issue – one of the most innovative websites on the Net –
has more. Be sure to head on over there and to read some of the
articles there. Jeb Koogler also wrote a great post for The Moderate
Voice about the resolution, calling the decision of the panel to `go
ahead’ with the resolution `absurd.’ He adds: `With measures such as
these, timing is everything and this is definitely not the time.
America does not need to threaten our relationship with Turkey over a
largely-symbolic Congressional resolution. On the contrary,
policymakers in Washington need to be working to actively strengthen
ties with Ankara.’ He also points out that Turkey has been the most
important bulwark against radical Islam. Despite what Congressional
Democrats seem to think, the US and the West as a whole need Turkey.

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