Turkish National Assembly Rejects U.S. military Stationing

The United States plan to launch a full-scale militarization against Iraq has been set on a brake. The Turkish national assembly refused the usage of its territory by the U.S. Army, and the United Arab Emirates also submitted a written resolution that opposes military attack of Iraq. Iraq has accommodated to UN’s request by starting to destroy its missile, Al Samud 2. The U.S., however, has reduced Iraq’s change of behavior to a ‘fraudulent drama.’

▽Movement in Turkey and the Arab Sphere = On March 1, Turkish National Assembly performed a vote for the government proposal for allowing the stationing of U.S. troops, with the result of 264 votes of agreement, 250 votes of dissent, and 19 blank votes. Prime Minister Abdula Gul, who was optimistic about the passing of votes by the national assembly, called an emergency cabinet conference after the unexpected results, and the U.S. Department of State, already prepared with their welcoming statement, could not hide bewilderment as they had expected approval. Whether or not the proposal will be reintroduced in the reconvention of the national assembly on the 4th is unknown.

In Sharm Al Sheir, Egypt, twenty-two countries of the United Arab Emirates declared opposition against military attack on Iraq with a written resolution.

The UAE is planning to dispatch representatives to Iraq, Europe, and the permanent members of the UN Security Council to appeal to peaceful resolution. The Vatican plans to send a special envoy to the U.S. on the 3rd to explain the injustice and send a personal letter from the Pope, John Paul II.

▽Beginning of destroying the missile Al Samud 2 = The Iraqi government destroyed four of the Al Samud 2 missiles on March 1 that the UN Arms Inspectors deemed to exceed the limit of stipulated crossroads, and destroyed six additional missiles on the March 2. The government also allowed the resumption of individual interviews of Iraqi scientists. Iraq’s accommodation to UN requests will likely have an optimistic influence on the report of the UN arms inspectors.

However, the New York Times reported that in the recent weeks Iraq has stationed a ground-to-ground missile on the crossroad area to Kuwait, and that in the case of an outbreak of war, this would delay the U.S. offense and threaten an ally, Kuwait.

▽US response = Secretary of State Colin Powell disclosed in French RFI Radio interview that UN arms inspectors will be given more time for inspection, and said the vote on UN’s second draft resolution will not happen immediately.

However, England’s Sunday Telegraph reported on the 2nd that the U.S. and the United Kingdom are getting ready to attack Iraq, regardless of the voting result of the UN resolution.

The White House reduced Iraq’s destroying of missiles to a ‘fraudulent drama’ on March 1. In an officiating radio speech on the same day, President George W. Bush reemphasized the disarmament of Iraq and the change of government by Saddam Hussein’s expulsion.

Jung-Ahn Kim credo@donga.com