Izzy1, is that particular statement so hard to believe? Rogue nations like the Milosevic regime of Serbia during its quick attempts of genocide in Bosnia and Kosovo allowed for any and all assistance from legitimate or illegitimate elements. A nation that will hate Turks forever will want some real combat exposure for some of their elite forces. Greece after all jumped at the opportunity to harbor PKK leader A. Ocalan? A nation that openly performed in joint amphibious landing exercises with Syrian forces on Syrian beaches, quiet interesting that Ocalan was in Damascus at the time. The only evidence I can provide is hearsay of members of Turkish units that I have spoken with as well as read in limited reports in Turkish publications. Just as Hizbullah in Lebanon are actually active members of the Iranian Republican Guard. Im constantly surprised that the American mind finds actions and events like this so extraordinary and unbelievable. But I do understand, the wonderful luxury of safety in living in a brand new nation that lies in a completely peaceful region with two massive oceans on either side makes the world that other try to survive in day in day out almost a fictional CNN excerpt.
To Rich:
With all due respect Sir, I have the utmost respect for the United States of America, its Armed Forces and it courageous soldiers. When abroad I refuse to allow anyone to talk trash about the Stars and Stripes. But this administration that I have voted for TWICE has made and continues to make major errors in decisions in the region. The "Acumen" (I apologize for the typo "accumen") im referring to is the turmoil of the current region and specifically the invasion of Iraq and the instability it has caused while almost completely resurrecting the PKK Terrorist movement whose members are constantly attacking and bombing civilians, police stations, and military outpost in Turkey. Now they are nicely equipped with unintentionally supplied U.S. night vision, weapons and other munitions likely indented for Peshmerge, Kurdish Proper security forces and or Iraqi forces. All of Turkey is on its feet ready to move into Iraq but the government must respect its ally. This is a war of terrorism that Turkey has fought for 30yrs, at the cost of 30K lives highlighted in Gulf 1 which Turkey was effectively on the verge of putting a final end to during the 10yr No-Fly Zone with many incursions into Iraq up to 12 and 15 miles establishing a buffer zone without hurting a single Kurdish civilian or putting out a single Kurdish light bulb. Now when the Turkish military attempts to protect its people from terror attacks its not the same kind of terrorism as those of Al-Quaida or threat to American lives. Or its thought that Turkey wants to kill all Kurds or is animately against a Kurdish state. A major Turkish trading partner is eliminated (billions in gdp); a major oil pipeline running through Turkey (more billions in gdp), a rise in PKK terror with the U.S. invasion of Iraq and now the House is about to accept Accusations of Armenian Genocide? This is the acumen I referring to. How can a world power side with those that terrorize its ally in any campaign? The U.S. has terrorists in Iraq and so does its ally Turkey, both shouldve have gone into Iraq and cleaned house! No however, one must wait while the other sides with guess whom? The Kurds, very difficult for Turkey to accept much less present it to its public to push for 85k U.S. Troops for a requested northern front. Regardless Turkeys Erdogan administration still tried to circumvent the public vote and did so for the most part, only failing by a very thin margin. Turkey had been going in and out of Iraq and never touched the wrong Kurd. Israel has one soldier kidnapped in routine border skirmishes and levels Lebanon? Northern Iraq would have still been stable and the U.S. would have had a more legitimate coalition than the massive British military contribution. Turkish troops wouldve have been the source of a far more powerful and positive opinion sentiment in having a major Muslim member in the coalition...bad decisions. Yeah some of our generals are thinking about Greece who loves this scenario.
During your stint in Turkey in the 70s-80s in the period of military marital law don worry, you werent the only one who had machine gun barrels pointed in your face, so did my older cousins, and uncles and our friends even my father and I dressed like westerners while walking the streets.so it wasnt anything special, this was an honor for them and us. My uncles in front of me commended these soldiers for their efforts in pointing that weapon in his face, an honor that the military which each of my cousins and uncles served in was securing its nation from rotten forces in the country whose objectives it was to topple the nation with the threat of communist ideology and now Islamic fundamentalism. Yes, a threat that is difficult to believe and comprehend as an American with nice warm and cozy borders, no real threats on those borders much less within them. Given all of this immediate pressure of constant threat that Turkey exists under every weapons deal we have with the U.S. has a Greek parity who has the option to receive a scaled quantity without even asking for it because Turkey is such a threat to Greece? Because Turkey is soooooo interested in attacking Greece, when’s the last time Turkey attack Greece unprovoked or literally force to? So Greece gets to approach being a threat to Turkey because of this interesting parity agreement not to mention the all-powerful Greek American lobby on the Hill and here we are in a flawed and useless comparison. Those Aegean Sea borders are defined and these Greeks continue to weasel their way into the issue just as they do with airspace issues and as they do to everything related to Turkey or the world for that matter taking, taking never giving, whets their major export, sun and fun? Funneling funds from the EU off cooked balance sheets. Oh thats right they are Cradle of Civilization and gave the world Democracy,,funny how they decided against it for so long. Sometimes I wish they would make a dumb move to settle things once and for all but then 20yrs later there would a ridiculous thread like this one comparing Turkey to Greece its almost insulting that we have to deal with this and truly annoying. Where were the great Greek forces in Cyprus? If it weren’t for the U.S. and world embargoes that Cyprus issue would not be an issue. Look N. Cyprus is all Turkish and in total isolation? While the South never approaches negotiations properly makes it into the EU where it can nice serve as the EU veto goat while Greece and the rest of Europe proclaims to support Turkish entry other thank the Germans who fear more Turks and the well the French that quite frankly are,,,,well.... French annoying every being on earth...
The true and proven fact Captain is that Turkey is a strong U.S. ally an ally that has fought side by side, shoulder to shoulder with American soldiers spilling blood in the same trenches, sharing last words without thinking twice. Turkey will always be an ally but does have the hopes that its ally maintains some honor for this valued relationship. I am encouraged by the recent U.S. head turning and "peaking with one eye" at recent Turkish cross border operations in N.Iraq going after PKK terrorists. This is critical, I will be meeting with major congressmen and their foreign service advisors soon on the Armenian Allegations resolutions that if passed could have incredible repercussions in heavily straining these relations. I shutter to consider such an outcome of ridiculous assertions that will have NO benefit to the American people and United State but a devastating negative impact if passed. We are partners in a very ambiguous world where nothing is what is seems. Turks come from a culture that values a friendship with undying loyalty which Im sure you have experienced to some degree in your tenure in Turkey. Turks are very sensitive in their relationships, maybe too much to easily brush off even the slightest of dings in such a friendship. We must work together, forges stronger ties because terror is real, its hidden and its far reaching enough to directly corrupt governments and alliances. We cannot let this happen full communication, total dialog and proper alliances with mutual respect and cooperation’s are vital. Thank you.