BBC


It's a lukewarm, "Look, we don't want to, but we have to..." kinda position, but still significant.

The head of Turkey's armed forces has publicly intervened to support the deployment of US troops inside Turkey for a possible war against Iraq.

Chief of General Staff Hilmi Ozkok said allowing US troops to attack Iraq from Turkish territory in the north would shorten the war.


"The Turkish armed forces' view is the same as the government's," General Ozkok said.


Turkey's armed forces wield considerable influence in Turkish politics and the general's remarks are seen as significant following Saturday's vote in the Turkish parliament to reject a bill to allow US troops on Turkish soil.


The government has hinted that the bill may be presented again but it could be delayed by up to three weeks.[...]

I sincerely doubt, however, that we're going to be waiting three weeks just to begin deployment of the troops. That's too long.