Does Turkey want war?

One of our neighbour states declares that it is in preparation for a war against another one of our neighbours, and we train the troops of this country. Do we demand a war?

The USA has declared formally that it is training Georgian army recently and it has given a start to the trainings by consigning a group of navy experts in the country. Previously, the USA used to train Georgian army by means of NATO or in other ways; however, now this has now acquired a more formal character.

As of September 1st, 65 American marines will begin training the troops that will go to Helmand region, where Obama has launched a total warfare, to partake into occupation of Afghanistan.

Vasil Sikharulidze, Georgia Defence Minister, interviewing with Associated Press, said that training the training by the U.S. Marine Corps will not only give his troops the skills necessary to fight alongside NATO allies in Afghanistan, but also could come into play if another war broke out between Georgia and Russia.. Asked whether he was referring to the possibility of another war with Russia, he said, "In general, yes."

Diplomatic Scandal
The statement of Georgian Defence Minister displayed the truth of the USA is preparing Georgian army for war with Russia by words of the most authoritative person. These remarks are an exact scandal in diplomatic field, because by these words, Georgia has also declared that it is getting prepared to fight against Russia one more time.

The USA was disturbed due to the explanation of Georgian Minister. General James Conway, Commandant of Marine Corps of US, visited Georgia on Friday and claimed that skills in trainings don’t have the qualities to be used in a war with Russia.

Other Georgian government officials, backing the explanations of Conway, didn’t admit the assertion that Georgia is being trained to fight against Russia. David Nardaya, spokesman of Defence Minister Vasil Sikharulidze, explained that he would bring the remarks of minister to light on Friday. However, the Defence Minister didn’t speak to the press after this explanation and he didn’t retract.* This created a much bigger scandal.

Turkey training the army that demands war
Turkey also has close relations with Georgia and its army. In February, 2007, General Yüksel Öztekin, Military Attaché of Republic of Turkey in Georgia, explained that elements of Georgia Ministry of Defence and border guards were trained by officers from Turkey and 12 civil experts on the themes of border security, transboundary crimes and similar topics.

This training is given in the framework of “Antiterrorism Accomplishment Center”. This center was founded in Turkey due to infusion of the USA in NATO summit, which took place amid mass protests in Istanbul, 2004. Turkey took the responsibility to prepare the armies of certaincountries like Georgia having a coast on Black Sea for NATO.

In May 2007 Turkey had made a military equipment aid to Georgia. Undersecretary of Turkey’s Embassy in Tbilisi Fırat Sunel announced that until that day Turkey had given military training to roughly 700 Georgian military personnel.

In June 2008, only 3 months before the war Georgia had initiated war in August, Turkey had signed a new cooperation protocol with Georgian navy. During the war Georgia waged on Russia, South Ossetia and Abhasia Turkey had supplied Georgia extra electricity. After the war Turkey’s relations with Russia had become tense. Russia had blamed Turkey for taking sides with Georgia, and then had argued that mercenaries of Turkish nationality had fought against Russia in an investigation report issued thereafter.

Right after the war, Izvestia newspaper of Russia had emphasized that Turkey has provided a military aid of 45 million US dollars and this aid was even bigger than the aid provided by the USA. Izvestia wrote that Turkey had supplied a great amount of advanced weapons and ammunition to Georgian army and gave the breakdown of the aid as follows: “100 vehicles, 50 PZRK type missile launchers, Sword 2 and Hawk warships, Sky-Watcher air early warning system, 80 MP5 automatic guns, 1800 M72 hand grenades, 10 million bullets, and 160 MP5A3 submachine guns.”

Russian news agencies asserted that right after the visit of a US official to Georgia in April this year Turkey had another consignment of weapons to Georgia.

Two weeks ago member of Abhazia parliament Soner Gogua said, “ Training of the Georgian officers by Turkish officers gave great courage to Georgians. Turkey and NATO have made a unilateral aid. Weapons aid have strengthened georgia’s hand.

Turkey shall quit military cooperation with Georgia
We have this scene: One of our neighbors says the main imperialist country far end of the world is preparing its own army to fight against our Black Sea neighbor. We face an open reality. AKP government, frequently talking of “carrying out multi-directional diplomacy”, “assuring stability in the region”, “getting along with everybody”, gives military support to the country which scandalously states it is preparing for a war with another neighbor of Turkey in implausible way.

And also the government, reminding “Peace at home, peace in the world”, immediately shall quit military cooperation developing gradually by the cooperation agreement signed in 1996 with Georgia to stand by its word.
(soL - Yiğit Günay)

http://english.sol.org.tr/news/international/does-turkey-want-war-803