While trying to teach the US a lesson…

This anger stems from the U.S. operation in Iraq, from the Suleymaniyah incident and from the American officials criticism of Turkey and the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK).

This anger has reached such dimensions that many of us seem almost to be glad that a few American troops get killed in Iraq every day.

It is as if we are glad that the American administrators cannot meet in Iraq basic needs such as water and electricity, that they cannot make the wheels of the Iraqi economy turn, that they cannot establish stability in Iraq.

There are those of us who say, "Suits these Americans well!"

The number of Turks that say with a smile, "Now they are being taught a lesson!" is growing with each passing day.

They act as if Iraq is not an adjacent country, as if Iraq’s splitting up would not make a bigger impact on Turkey than on anybody else, as if that would not lead to the establishment of an independent Kurdish state, create the danger of an enormous influx of refugees and reduce to zero the trade between Turkey and Iraq.

Naturally, sending troops to Iraq does have its risks.

However, one cannot get rid of major risks without taking such risks.

Let us take a test
If you want, let us ease the mood by giving ourselves a test on these issues.

What do YOU think?

Given below are four questions. Give your answers and the outcome will show the nature of your vote.

Questions
1. Do you want Iraq to be stabilized, its economy reactivated? Do you want Turkish-Iraqi trade to flourish? Say YES or NO.

2. Are you against establishment of an independent Kurdish state? Say YES or NO.

3. Dou you want Turkey to "sit at the table" in Iraq and play a part in Iraq’s reconstruction, with Turkish contractors undertaking projects in Iraq? Say YES or No.

4. Do you want the U.S. to hand over the administration to a democratically-elected government and leave Iraq? Say YES or NO.

If your answer to all of these questions is YES, you have no choice. You are arguing in favor of sending troops to Iraq.

If you have said YES to some of these questions and NO to the rest, that means you are confused.

If your answer to all of these questions is NO, start praying to God to save Turkey (!)