Ozkok: View Of Turkish Armed Forces Is The Same With The Government

Pointing out that Iraq problem was a vital and multilateral issue, and that it has political, social and legal dimensions, Gen. Ozkok said, ”view of Turkish Armed Forces is the same with the government. It is like how it is reflected in the motion submitted to the parliament by the government.”
Stating that Turkish Armed Forces did not feel uneasy about the motion, Gen. Ozkok said they did not put any pressure for the acceptance of the motion.
Gen. Ozkok said Turkey did not have the facility and ability to prevent war on its own, and noted that the same loss would be suffered whether or not Turkey participated in the war process.
Gen. Ozkok said, ”some of our loses would be compensated if we had helped those who fight. We thought war would last short and unexpected developments would not happen if front was opened from the North. All those were connected to a document, and relatively taken under guarantee.”
Gen. Ozkok said they respected the decision taken by the Parliament.
Addressing the Northern Iraqi leaders, Gen. Ozkok said, ”we have been with them in their most difficult days. We did not mislead them or we did not lie. Those who forget yesterday, will be the bad architects of the future.”
Gen. Ozkok said the same harm would be seen if Turkey does not participate in the war, and noted that, "however, compensation of our losses and our right to speak will never be possible."
President Rauf Denktas of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) visited Gen. Ozkok in General Staff Headquarters.
Gen. Ozkok, who spoke there, said the question why the military was silent was the question which is frequently brought onto the agenda recently, stating that, "military is not silent. However, the military did not find beneficial to share its views on this critical issue with the public through press."
Gen. Ozkok said we expressed all our thoughts openly and clearly at several government meetings and at the National Security Council (NSC). "We, of course, have reasons for not making a statement to the public. Iraq issue has vital and multilateral dimensions. The military is dealing with only the security aspect of this matter. It is producing solutions and making proposals. However, there are political, social, economic and legal dimensions which should be considered to reach a decision on such an issue."
Gen. Ozkok said, "We, the military, don’t consider that we know the issue better than others. Thus, if we had made a statement to the public bringing only security dimension of the issue on to agenda, we could lead to misperceptions. This is the reason of our silence."
Gen. Ozkok said view of Turkish Armed Forces was the same with the government. "It is like how it is reflected in the motion submitted to the parliament by the government," he noted. Gen. Ozkok said everything within this process happened in the way that should take place in a full democratic process and in a modern country. "We should get used to it," he added.
Stating that another issue was why a recommendatory decision was not taken in NSC, Gen. Ozkok said, "I have not heard that such a request was brought to NSC. There are five military and nine civilian members in NSC. The meeting had taken place before the Parliament took decision about the motion. NSC does not recommend the Parliament, but the government. Recommendation for this had been made in January in NSC clearly."
Gen. Ozkok asked, "what would this mean if NSC had made a recommendation prior to the decision if the motion was at the Parliament?" and said, "this would be a pressure on the Parliament for the acceptance of the motion. It would not be democratic and conform with the Constitution."
Asking whether or not there was uneasiness in military regarded with the government motion, Gen. Ozkok said, "no. we did not feel uneasy over the motion. The problem stemmed from the news report which appeared in a news paper that ‘military feels uneasy’. Of course, this news report belongs to that reporter or its source if there is, and it binds them. General Staff did not confirm the news report."
Gen. Ozkok recalled that he, Deputy Chief of General Staff and Secretary General could make statement on issues about the Turkish Armed Forces, "I wish this news report had not been reflected as the view of the Turkish Armed Forces."
Ozkok said that TSK had a rationalistic and collective single view which was evaluated fully.
On a possible war against Iraq, Ozkok said, "it is said that 94 percent of the people says no to war. This is wrong. 100 percent of people has said no to war and is against it. We, as soldiers, are the people who know the violence and dimensions of war and who oppose to the war the most. It is obvious that we will suffer major damage whatever Turkey’s move is if a war starts. Turkey can face political, economic, social damage and also a damage of security."
Ozkok went on saying, "it is a reality in the current stage that Turkey does not have the possibility and capability to prevent a war on its own. In fact, this is the duty of not only Turkey, but also the whole world. And, the whole world has to exert efforts to prevent this war. We should also continue our efforts to this end. I wish the war can be prevented."
"But, we cannot make our calculations by supposing that war will not break out. We should evaluate our move in case of a war. Unfortunately, our choice is between the bad and worse, not between the good and bad. We should either totally stay outside or join the process by helping those who fight. These two moves have been evaluated systematically and in coordination with all institutions and organizations for months," Ozkok said.
Ozkok continued, "we will suffer the same damage if we do not participate in a war, but we will not see compensation for the damage after the war. And, it will be never possible for us to have a right to speak after the war. Some of our losses can be compensated if we help those who fight. We will send humanitarian aid to refugees in Northern Iraq without joining those who fight. War will last short and pain will be less since a northern front will be opened. We think that unexpected developments will not occur and fewer people will die. We would return back by fulfilling our mission without shooting even a single bullet."
"If we had to intervene in unexpected developments, those who are fighting would not oppose. All these issues and some other issues are written in a document and relatively taken under guarantee. Economic assistance has been demanded as a compensation of some of our losses given by those who fight, not as a cost of our cooperation. We have not been after the cost of assistance we will make there," Ozkok said.
Ozkok added, "the parliament did not pass the motion in line with all these views. The parliament is the representative of the nation. Sovereignty unconditionally belongs to the nation. We respect to this decision. I wish that the move we have chosen to avoid war will not force us to make some moves by taking those who fight against us."
Everybody was curious about what would happen after the motion had not been approved, Ozkok said.
Ozkok said, "our people should be in tranquility. Turkish Republic is a big and strong state having traditions. Every complicated problem has a simple solution. All authorized institutions and organizations are evaluating the issue according to the new situation. A solution which will protect our national interests in the best way will be found."
Addressing the Northern Iraqi leaders, Ozkok said, "we are slaves of the geography we are living. We have no other place to go and no other new friend and neighbor to gain. There are kinship ties between our people. We have been beside them in their most problematic days. They know this well. We have never deceived them and we have never lied to them. We have altogether made something beneficial to both sides. Those who forget yesterday will be the bad architects of future. What has happened so that there is an anti-Turkey atmosphere, harsh statements are made and Turkish flag is burnt."
Ozkok added, "we are a noble nation which has not even burnt the flag of the countries which occupied our country. We are a proud nation. I remind them our legitimate right to defend our national interests and hope them to be moderate and in cooperation. Those who want to replace peace with clashes will undertake new consequences and responsibilities stemming from this."
General Ozkok asked the journalists not to make mistakes which would harm national interests in those critical days.