Turks throw spanner in Bush's plan

[Ozz]

Originally posted by Sandman
This is very good news. I'm impressed that Turkey has refused to be bribed, at least for the moment.

Turkey is just following the same policies that kept them
out of WW2. (Churchill tried to bribe them in)

Talk, Talk, Talk, but no commitment.

[Gatekeeper]

I had my reservations about getting Turkey involved in the process — especially after the price tag for their cooperation neared $30 billion *and* the Kurds said they'd start fighting the Turks if their troops crossed the border en masse on the heels of advancing U.S. forces — even though it would make life easier for any U.S. military commanders in the region. Perhaps we can use that $30 billion in Iraq proper? Or, better yet, find a domestic use for said blackmail/bribe (depending on your viewpoint) money?

Gatekeeper

[Gatekeeper]

On a related note, Iraq has to stay together. No ifs, ands or buts there. None whatsoever. I don't care if Iraq is nothing more than three disparate provinces of the former Ottoman Empire, they have to stay together and forge a future. Hell, if other nations with a broad mixture of groups can stick together — the United States comes to mind; we're hardly a homogenous country — so can Iraq in a post Saddam future.

Gatekeeper

[Ramo]

Why does Iraq "have to stay together?"

[Urban Ranger]

If not, the Middle East will be a bigger mess than it is now.

I think it is a good time to blame the Brits for all this.

[Lincoln]

Tony and George are going to war regardless. The new state will be called Geonyland.

[monkspider]

Wow, Lincoln sighting!

[Lincoln]

This isn't really me...

[chequita guevara]

Originally posted by Oerdin
The only way I can see is by occupying the place with large numbers of troops very quickly thus "cutting them off" before they can organize a state.

They already have a state, it's just that no one recognizes their independence. They completely run their own affairs, but they aren't terrobly strong, as even a little terrorist group seems to have snatched a village from them.

I wonder if they're making plans to resist the American occupation.

[Urban Ranger]

Originally posted by GePap
I must say this was utterly unexpected. The fact that over 100 of the members of the rulig party either voted against or abstained is significant.

Blair had also faced a revolt of 100+ Labour MP's earlier.

[monkspider]

Originally posted by Lincoln
This isn't really me...

Cue the twilight zone music.

[chequita guevara]

Originally posted by Urban Ranger
Blair had also faced a revolt of 100+ Labour MP's earlier.

Not enough to save them in the next elections, however. Brits, do a "poll tax" protest on Blair.

[KrazyHorse]

I suggest they vote for MPs who voted their conscience and against those who kissed US ass.

[Rufus T. Firefly]

Turkey is, nominally, democracy. Sure, laugh if you want to, but they hold elections and everything. And no matter how many votes they have in Parliament, AK party has a tenuous hold on power, because everyone else who has power in the country -- the military, big business, the media, the civil service -- hate them for being crypto-Islamic upstarts.

In other words, the only people who like AK party are ordinary Turks. And among ordinary Turks, opposition to the war is running at about 90%. AK party's betwen a rock and a hard place, and they know it; supporting th US abroad may well mean losing their power base at home.

[Az]

Azazel: read what the admin. has said about a post war Iraq...in every single statement the admin. has said that the territorial integrity of Iraq is sacrosant. If someone is BAMing, its them.

We'll see. I wouldn't mind the integrity of Iraq as much if the Kurds would play along, and the Turks wouldn't invade them.