| Published November 4, 2002 Letters to the Editor Former U.S. ambassador to Turkey Mark R. Parris is way off the mark when he says the United States can't use force to remove Saddam Hussein from power without Turkey ("Heads up on Turkey," Op-Ed, Oct. 28—click here to read). His stalwart statement "You can't do it without Turkey" is false and even ludicrous on its face. The United States does not need the Incirlik NATO air base in southeastern Turkey for missions against Iraq. The United States has several air bases as near and nearer to Iraq than Incirlik, including the British base on Cyprus and several U.S. bases in the Persian Gulf area as well as aircraft carriers. The Persian Gulf war proved that the United States does not need Turkey for military action against Saddam Hussein. Mr. Parris conveniently forgets that Turkey refused the use of its air space and Incirlik during Desert Shield from Aug. 2, 1990, to Jan. 16, 1991; refused the U.S. request to open a second front against Iraq (The Washington Post, Jan. 16, 1991); and allowed large-scale smuggling along its 206-mile border with Iraq (Wall Street Journal, Oct. 30, 1990). It was not until 48 hours after Desert Storm started on Jan. 16, 1991, and the U.S.-led coalition air war had neutralized the Iraqi air defense and air force and had complete air superiority that President Turgut Ozal allowed a limited number of sorties out of the Incirlik NATO air base in order to save face. Only one of 20 coalition sorties, all of them unnecessary, originated in Turkey. The Turkish military and public opinion opposed the use of Incirlik, and Turkey never joined the U.S.-led coalition. Mr. Parris' main thrusts are to push for economic aid for Turkey, to support Turkey's anti-Kurdish policy and to press the European Union to start negotiations with Turkey despite its substantial failure to meet the requirements that all candidates for EU membership have to meet. The reforms Turkey has enacted to date are minor and fall far short of EU requirements, which include, among many others, putting the military, which controls the government, under civilian rule and removing its illegal occupation forces and settlers from Cyprus. Regarding Turkey's economic situation, Mr. Parris also omits mentioning that the Turkish military has "tens of billions" in a cash fund (see the article by former French ambassador to Turkey Eric Rouleau, "Turkey's Dream of Democracy," in Foreign Affairs, Nov/Dec 2000). The Turkish military also owns substantial businesses whose value exceeds $100 billion. Before the United States even considers more aid to Turkey, we should insist on the repayment by the Turkish military of the $5 billion debt owed to the United States. The International Monetary Fund, the World Bank and the United States also should insist on the divestiture by the Turkish military of its vast private holdings.
Sincerely, Gene Rossides, |
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11-04-02 Letter to The Washington Times
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