Remember back in 2003, when the Bush Administration tried to bribe Turkey to the tune of $35 Billion so that American troops could invade Iraq from the north?
Those troops were supposedly importing democracy to Iraq, but the $35 billion was offered to thwart the decision of Turkey’s democratic government that denied the U.S. permission to use Turkish soil and bases. So the Bush formula was, impose “democracy” by force, and bribe it when you can’t (I’ve seen the Turkish military in action, and they are fierce fighters. So fortunately, Bush decided not to invade Anatolia.)
Now Turkey is glad to show U.S. troops the door “out” of Iraq, and to consider allowing them to use Turkish bases to facilitate the withdrawal.
What this amounts to is a repudiation, as well as a profound humiliation, of the Bush Administration’s foreign policy in the region, by the real democracies in the region. Iraq’s “democracy” is built on corruption, but Turkey’s is genuine, and couldn’t be bought, not even with $35 billion, which was real money back in 2003.
1:06 pm on March 4, 2009
