February 26, 2008 at 10:59:12

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Will Turkey be complicit in another war against another neighbour?

By Cem Ertür (about the author)     Page 1 of 13 page(s)

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For OpEdNews: Cem Ertür - Writer

Despite the latest positive report of the IAEA on Iran' nuclear programme [1], efforts to launch a war against Iran are gathering pace [2]. Given the unpopularity of such a war, the big powers are keeping very quiet about it whilst using highly sophisticated methods to psychologically prepare their citizens. At the same time, all we hear about Turkey in the Western European and North American mainstream media is the accession talks with the European Union, the conflict between the religious AKP government and the country's secular establishment (including the military) and the cross-border operations into Northern Iraq. Is there no connection between Turkey and this new threat of war? How does psychological preparation work in the case of Turkey? What pressure are the leading NATO countries putting on the Turkish Government? How is the extra-parliamentary opposition reacting to the prospective next stage of the 'Global War on Terror'?

THE 'TRIPLE ALLIANCE'

In 2006, researcher Michel Chossudovsky commented on an alliance that was described earlier by the Middle East Report as 'probably the greatest strategic move in the Clinton post-Cold War years':

"Already during the Clinton Administration, a triangular military alliance between the US, Israel and Turkey had unfolded. This 'triple alliance' is ... coupled with a strong bilateral military relationship between Tel Aviv and Ankara. Amply documented, Israel and Turkey are partners in the planned US aerial attacks on Iran, which have been in an advanced state of readiness since mid-2005." [3]

The recent state visits by the Israeli President Shimon Peres and the Israeli Defence Minister Ehud Barak to Turkey were the clearest indication yet of this alliance against Iran.

STATE VISITS BY ISRAELI DEFENCE MINISTER BARAK AND PRESIDENT PERES

On board his plane on the way to Ankara on February 11, Israeli Defence Minister Ehud Barak said that he would present Turkey's top leadership with Israeli intelligence reports on Iran's nuclear plans:

"It is important to ... try to convince [Turkey] of the facts." [4]

In the wake of this visit, the Israeli defence officials have given the following statements:

"Turkey was interested in acquiring a missile defense system in the face of Iran's continued race toward nuclear power." [5]

"All of the countries in the region understand that the Iranian threat is not just against Israel. Iran's long-range missiles can reach well beyond Israel." [6]

However, Barak had a different attitude towards Syria:

"Turkey has a natural role in certain mediation and has found a proper way to dialogue with Syria. There is respect for Turkey in both Syria and Lebanon. This respect should be used for blocking the flow of weapons from Iran to Hezbollah through Syria. We respect Syria but we also expect Syria to have respect for Israel's identity as well. You cannot impose peace. ... It takes two willing parties." [7]

This statement should be seen as part of the divide-and-rule strategy of isolating Iran. As the leading NATO allies will not be able to attack Iran and Syria simultaneously, they need to break the strategic alliance between these two countries and go one step at a time.

Barak's statements echoed those by the Israeli President Shimon Peres during his visit to Ankara in November last year. Writer Kemal Camurcu analyses Peres' speech at the Turkish Parliament to a committee with majority from the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) parliamentarians:

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