Political battle in Turkey ahead of vote on U.S. troops for Iraq war

Parliament could vote as early as Wednesday on the cabinet-backed proposal which would also authorize the deployment of 255 U.S. warplanes and 65 helicopters to Turkey.
Before the meeting, Erdogan said legislators would not be bound to vote as a bloc. However, he also said he expected legislators to back the government.

"I believe you will make the final decision and take your steps without the need for a group decision," Erdogan said Tuesday.

Although Erdogan has a comfortable majority in parliament, some 60 deputies in the party oppose authorizing the basing of U.S. troops, according to reports.
"We are not happy, we are troubled, it is a difficult situation," the Anatolia news agency quoted legislator Kemalettin Goktas as saying as he entered the meeting.
But Dengir Mir Firat, another legislator, said only a few deputies would vote against the motion.
"The country’s interests are in question," he said.
U.S. Deputy Defence Secretary Paul Wolfowitz said Tuesday that time is running short for Turkey to approve the proposal.
"We’re very close to the go/no-go point," Wolfowitz said on the Fox News Channel.
Most analysts predict the measure will pass. Although many cabinet members expressed reservations about the bill, all signed the proposal.
Rejecting the bill would almost certainly mean losing U.S. support at a time when Turkey is starting to emerge from a deep recession.
Washington’s support has been crucial in winning loans from the International Monetary Fund and the United States has pushed Turkey’s candidacy at the European Union.
"The important thing is our national interests," said legislator Erdogan Ozegen, who expressed support for the bill. Parliament will make "a decision not to put our country and people into trouble."
U.S. and Turkish negotiators have been hammering out an multi-billion dollar U.S. aid package of loans and grants that would ease the economic impact of a war.
Parliament is not expected to vote before U.S. and Turkish negotiators have reached final agreement on the military, political, and economic terms of a deployment. U.S. and Turkish delegations resumed negotiations at 5.30 a.m. Wednesday. Diplomats say the economic package includes $5 billion US in grants and $10 billion in loans.
Sticking points have included the command structure in northern Iraq where Turkey plans to deploy its own troops, the future government of Iraq, and the size of the aid package.
The legislation before parliament would also allow tens of thousands of Turkish troops to enter northern Iraq in case of war.
Turkey fears refugees could flood into the country and worries that Iraqi Kurds could declare an independent state, spurring Kurdish rebels in Turkey to renew their 15-year battle in southeastern Turkey.
Meanwhile, a Dutch ship Wednesday unloaded the first Patriot-missile battery in the Mediterranean port of Iskenderun. Trucks carrying the anti-missile missiles moved into a nearby naval base. Camouflage nets were seen on the top of some of the trucks.
Dutch air force spokesman Aart Fokkema confirmed the ship was carrying Patriot missiles. But he couldn’t say how many batteries were aboard the ship.
The Netherlands is sending three batteries of Patriots to help Turkey in case of an attack by Iraq. The missiles will be operated by 370 Dutch air force troops.