Tables being turned?

The said remarks belong to a bureaucrat, who was among those attending the negotiations on troop deployment to Iraq and now he is also among the ones negotiating on the same issue.

Yes, let’s remember.

First of all, long-lasting talks have taken place and then the questions, asking "why is Turkey taking the issue easy," appeared on the agenda. The unofficial remarks of the U.S. officials did not have the impact of an iron hand in a velvet glove and the motion did not pass from Parliament.

Afterwards, the strained relations with the United States and its having a say in the region in the wake of the Iraq operation forced Turkey, gradually losing its power in the region, to discuss the troop deployment issue once again. First, a number of administrators went to the United States to say they wanted to send troops to Iraq and then delegations from both sides negotiated on the issue but the parties acted with deliberation due to the disappointment created by the disapproval of the March 1 motion. That’s why, "First the motion should pass and then negotiations should start" approach was reasonably adopted by both Turkey and the United States and the details of sending troops to Iraq delayed to be discussed after the motion.

The motion passed from Parliament…

However, negotiations cannot begin.

Yesterday, I mentioned the question, asking whether Turkish troops’ being sent to Iraq might cause concerns of instability, began to be asked.

Today, it is clearly seen this question is seriously preoccupying the mind of the government.

The developments in the United States have made the government’s mind confused.

Because U.S. President Bush’s National Security Advisor Condoleeza Rice’s remarks, saying that the issue of Turkish troop deployment to Iraq is a sensitive issue and we will see how it will be concluded, delayed the technical negotiations with the United States although the motion passed from Parliament. There are a few reasons lying behind the fact that the United States, which was very enthusiastic about seeing the Turkish troops in Iraq before, has taken the issue easy now:

"The open opposition of the Kurdish groups and threats, saying, "a conflict will break out," might cause the United States to take its easy.

The reactions from the Iraqi Interim Administration Council may cause the United States to be able to do nothing. It is a contradictory situation, that is to say, to prove the legitimacy of the administration in Iraq and to make efforts to dictate a development opposed by the administration. It is also possible that problems are being experienced due to this.

For this reason, the United States might need time to persuade them through speeding up its talks with various circles in Iraq.

What is more, the White House’s National Security Advisor Condoleeza Rice’s beginning to be interested in the political coordination concerning Iraq after Pentagon might delay the negotiations as well."

All of the said reasons might reflect the truth.

However, the United States could not put forth a balanced approach between the Iraqi Interim Administration Council’s remarks, opposing the existence of Turkish troops in the region, and Ankara’s demands from the United States to persuade the Iraqis. Sources say it is not likely for the United States to give up its demands for troop deployment since such a development might push both the United States and Turkey into a difficult situation.

In fact, such a situation can really drag the United States and Turkey into new and unexpected conflicts…