British Woo Turkey for Support in Campaign Against Iraq

Bordering both Iraq and Syria, Turkish military bases played a crucial role in the Gulf War in the early '90s, and the West is hoping Turkey will provide the same support if it resorts to war against Saddam Hussein a second time around.

But although British Defense Secretary Geoff Hoon emphasized the "common approach" the two countries took on international issues during a visit to Ankara on Wednesday, his Turkish counterpart, Vecdi Gonul, remained cautious, telling reporters he still hoped for a peaceful outcome to the crisis.

"So far we have not formed any alliances, conducted any talks, or made any future plans on the issue of Iraq outside the NATO framework," Gonul said.

Leaning toward the West?

Turkey, which is a NATO member and is eager to join the European Union, may soon be faced with a difficult choice. Opinion polls show that over 90 percent of Turks are against military action in a country where over 99 percent of the population is Muslim. The Turkish government is also less than enthusiastic about the prospect of war, fearing economic and internal turmoil.

Nevertheless, Turkey's newly elected Justice and Development Party -- which has been at pains to allay suspicions about its Islamist roots -- has already pledged at least limited support its American and European NATO allies.

This week, Turkey granted the U.S. permission to inspect its ports and airbases, and on Tuesday, a private television station reported Turkey had decided to allow U2 spy planes to fly over Turkish airspace en route to Iraq. Turkey has also long provided support to British and American warplanes patrolling the no-fly zone over northern Iraq, set up in 1991 after the Gulf War.

A divided Europe

Turkey's position is made even more difficult by internal splits between EU members. Although British Prime Minister Tony Blair has urged the rest of Europe to stand shoulder to shoulder with U.S. President George W. Bush, Germany is still unequivocal that it will take no part in a potential conflict, even under a U.N. mandate.

It's a position that could also influence Turkey's eventual stance on the issue. Germany has a close, if slightly troubled relationship with Turkey. The immigration and subsequent assimilation of millions of Turks into Germany in the decades following World War II after the government invited them to help rebuild their country has raised major problems over citizenship in Germany for many years.

The other major player in the EU, France, hinted for the first time this week it would pledge its own forces in a possible conflict, with French President Jacques Chirac telling his troops they should be prepared for war. But he also reiterated his warning that the "international community should only resort to war as a last resort."

Whichever way Turkey jumps, Ankara is not expected to make any final decision until Jan. 27th, when UN weapons inspectors will present the first report on their findings in Iraq.

Meanwhile, both Britain and the U.S are bracing for war with Iraq. The U.S has already stationed 60,000 troops in the Persian Gulf and sent its staff to a new battle headquarters in Qatar. Britain has mobilized front-line troops and ships and called up 7,000 reservists. A Royal Navy task force including a submarine and destroyer also set sail for the Middle East last weekend.