New York Times columnist Thomas L. Friedman strongly opposes Turkish troops in Iraq as contrary to U.S. interests WASHINGTON, DC—The following letter was sent to President George W. Bush as an addendum to the joint letter of October 21, 2003:
October 24, 2003 Dear Mr. President: This is a brief follow up to our joint letter to you of October 21, 2003 opposing the Defense Department’s request to use 10,000 Turkish troops in Iraq as not in the best interests of the U.S. I bring to your attention the following quote from Thomas L.Friedman’s column in the New York Times yesterday (October 23, 2003; A27; col.5): "I've often pointed out the good we have done in Iraq and unabashedly hoped for more. No regrets. But some recent trends leave me worried…. If I were a Republican senator, here's what I'd tell the Bush team: What in God's name are you doing forcing Iraqis to accept Turkish peacekeeping troops? Are you nuts? Not only will Turkish troops in Iraq alienate the Kurds, our best friends, but they will rile the Shiites and Sunnis as well. Honor is hugely important in Iraqi society, and bringing in Turkish soldiers—Iraq's former colonizers—to order around Iraqis would be a disaster. "If we bring in the Turks, it will bring back bad memories," notes Yitzhak Nakash, a Brandeis University professor and author of one of the best Iraq books, "The Shi'is of Iraq." "Worse, a Turkish presence in Iraq will only prompt the Iranians, Syrians and Saudis to try to increase their influence. That is no recipe for a stable country." (Emphasis added.)
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New York Times columnist Thomas L. Friedman strongly opposes Turkish troops in Iraq as contrary to U.S. interests
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