Troop Deployment Nothing New for Turkey

There are striking similarities between today’s parliament and the parliament of the time when troops were sent to Korea. The DP had achieved a significant majority after the May 14 1950 elections, much like the Justice and Development Party (AKP) has done last year.

The Turkish soldier (Mehmetcik) went to Korea for a war, but now, is going to Iraq to build a peace. In both cases however, Turkey’s duty to the United States as a military ally has played an important role in the decision.

Since the Korean War, a Turkish government has received permission from parliament to send troops abroad 16 times.

Most notably between 1960 and 1974, granting permission three times to send troops to Cyprus.

Since the end of the Cold War, Turkish troops have also participated in peacekeeping missions in different parts of the world.

The parliament granted permission, in two separate motions, to send soldiers to Somalia and Bosnia Herzegovina on December 8 1992.

To Al-Halil, to stand between Israel and Palestine on February 8 1997.

To Albania on April 10 1997 and again on July 23 1998.

To Kosovo on October 8 1998, and lastly to Afghanistan in October 2001.