Turkey Saying No to Accepting G.I.’s in Large Numbers

America may be the only superpower left in the world, but it still needs the assistance of other countries to achieve its goals on the world stage. In the latest chapter of the war on terrorism, Turkey’s newly elected government, which has strong Islamic roots, announced its decision to deny access to large numbers of American soldiers in case of war against Iraq. The government reached this decision, officials reported, because of domestic public sentiment, even though Turkey considers America to be a very close ally. The agreement is a product of a long series of negotiations that yielded use of Turkish airspace and ground for stationing US warplanes. Turkish officials say, however, that a second UN Security Council resolution explicitly authorizing the use of force would be necessary for further Turkish assistance in case Iraq fails to comply with UN weapons inspectors. The United States has been putting pressure on the Europeans to facilitate the acceptance of Turkey to the EU, and the U.S. has also promised more funding through the IMF. An American. official declared that the US is hoping Turkey would change its opinion and provide more tangible support soon. - Yale Global