memphiz
06-27-2004, 06:48 PM
ANKARA - NATO leaders, trying to repair relations damaged by the Iraq war, have struck a tentative deal on the training of Iraqi troops.
Ahmet Necdet and George W. Bush review troops at Cankaya Palace, Ankara Turkey (AP photo)
News of the deal comes as the leaders of the 26-member alliance prepare to meet in Istanbul. About 40,000 rallied in the city to protest against U.S. policies.
The demonstrators chanted "No to U.S. occupations," aimed at the visiting U.S. leader. But President Bush received a warm reception from Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
Bush is pressing the Turks to support the sending of NATO troops to Iraq to train Iraqi security forces.
"We're going to work together to make sure NATO is configured militarily to meet the threats of the 21st century," said Bush.
But according to opinion polls sending Turkish soldiers, even as trainers, is deeply unpopular. Those reservations have probably deepened with the kidnapping of three Turkish contract workers in Iraq.
Soli Ozel, a newspaper columnist, says any Turkish agreement is tied to wider European support. "If there a collective decision of all NATO partners, not just American demanding and getting it , you can sell it. But you cannot sell it to the public if it is just an American demand. Nobody is willing to send their sons to die instead of Americans."
But President Bush has got a boost to his policy with NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer announcing an agreement in principle had been reached for Iraqi training, although he acknowledged the details still had to be worked out.
"NATO is about values, has always been about values and is still about values. But the threat has changed. We have terrorism everywhere. It strikes everywhere, be it here in this city, in the Twin Towers in New York, or Uzbekistan, Mombasa, Yemen you name it, and this alliance has to participate in fighting it and winning it."
One of the problems to be resolved in a demand from Germany and France. Those countries are insisting on the training of Iraqi forces outside the country.
Once again Iraq is threatening to reopen deep divisions within NATO, but with Iraq threatening to descend into chaos analysts say there appears to be consensus among all sides that the NATO summit should not be marred by confrontation.
Sixteen of the 26 NATO countries have individually sent forces to Iraq to help the US-led coalition.
Ahmet Necdet and George W. Bush review troops at Cankaya Palace, Ankara Turkey (AP photo)
News of the deal comes as the leaders of the 26-member alliance prepare to meet in Istanbul. About 40,000 rallied in the city to protest against U.S. policies.
The demonstrators chanted "No to U.S. occupations," aimed at the visiting U.S. leader. But President Bush received a warm reception from Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
Bush is pressing the Turks to support the sending of NATO troops to Iraq to train Iraqi security forces.
"We're going to work together to make sure NATO is configured militarily to meet the threats of the 21st century," said Bush.
But according to opinion polls sending Turkish soldiers, even as trainers, is deeply unpopular. Those reservations have probably deepened with the kidnapping of three Turkish contract workers in Iraq.
Soli Ozel, a newspaper columnist, says any Turkish agreement is tied to wider European support. "If there a collective decision of all NATO partners, not just American demanding and getting it , you can sell it. But you cannot sell it to the public if it is just an American demand. Nobody is willing to send their sons to die instead of Americans."
But President Bush has got a boost to his policy with NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer announcing an agreement in principle had been reached for Iraqi training, although he acknowledged the details still had to be worked out.
"NATO is about values, has always been about values and is still about values. But the threat has changed. We have terrorism everywhere. It strikes everywhere, be it here in this city, in the Twin Towers in New York, or Uzbekistan, Mombasa, Yemen you name it, and this alliance has to participate in fighting it and winning it."
One of the problems to be resolved in a demand from Germany and France. Those countries are insisting on the training of Iraqi forces outside the country.
Once again Iraq is threatening to reopen deep divisions within NATO, but with Iraq threatening to descend into chaos analysts say there appears to be consensus among all sides that the NATO summit should not be marred by confrontation.
Sixteen of the 26 NATO countries have individually sent forces to Iraq to help the US-led coalition.