Relations with US straining again

However, Ankara is forgetting that this time the conditions of sending troops to Iraq is so different. There is a new situation, new balances and new policies.

Center for Eurasian Strategic Studies (an Ankara-based think-tank institution) prepares a bulletin, namely the Daily Global Assessments Bulletin. In the August 26 bulletin it says, "The discussions on sending troops to Iraq were beneficial because of the below mentioned reasons: By means of discussion Turkey increased its interest and contacts with the ethnic groups in Iraq, besides Kurds and Turkmens. Turkey started to follow the developments in Iraq more cautiously and in detail. Turkey should deepen this interest, it should not be temporary. Turkey should find local contacts, allies, intelligence sources and sympathizers also in the other regions of Iraq besides northern Iraq.

Meanwhile,the Kirkuk issue may be raised in the negotiations on sending troops. Turkey should speak out these questions to the United States: Why are you not complying with the population ratios in Kirkuk and giving the Kurds more representation? Why you are closing your eyes to a new ethnic cleansing, claiming that you are compensating for the ethnic cleansing committed by Saddam regime? Why are you excluding the Turkmens? When are you planning to hold a census in the regions that you ensured order?

Meanwhile, the attacks against the Yumurtalik pipeline may not only be performed by the Baathists that are aiming to hamper and delay the reconstruction process of Iraq, but also may be performed by the tribes who demand money for the security of the pipeline, and some who don’t want the pouring of the oil into the international markets because of a possible increase in oil prices in the world markets, and even by some who want to bring the Haifa pipeline to the agenda, and some who want to convey the message to Turkey that if it doesn’t send troops to Iraq, it should forget the pipeline.

These questions and answers are not the issues that Turkey wants to bring to the agenda. The issue is only being discussed on the basis of sending troops to Iraq, and this paves the way to two groups; the first want to send troops and the others don’t want to. This structure also paves the way to the sharpening of expectations.

As a matter of fact, Justice and Development Party Deputy Chairman Faruk Celik said, "The precondition for the troop sending decision is a demand and invitation from the Iraqi people for the Turkish soldiers. Otherwise Turkey cannot go into this hell." Celik seems to have forgotten that the demand for sending troops came from Turkey and the United States strongly welcomed this.

While the AK Party spokesman speaks like this, U.S. Ambassador for Ankara Eric Edelman is giving the clear mesage: "I think sending troops to Iraq serves Turkey’s interests."

We should follow the process very closely; the details are very important