US: Turkey plays an important role as an ally at the front line of ballistic missile threats

Updated: November 20, 2010 added “Turkey’s army chief Kosaner…” [item 5]


Propaganda Alert

compiled by Cem Ertür
Featured Writer
Dandelion Salad
17 October 2010



1) US: Turkey plays an important role as an ally at the front line of ballistic missile threats (12 October 2010)

2) Turkey’s Prime Minister Erdogan: As an ally, Turkey will extend any kind of support to NATO (7 October 2010)

3) Turkey’s President Gul: Proliferation of weapons of mass destruction is one of the risks of our contemporary world (23 September 2010)

4) US army chief Mullen: US and Turkey completely agree on preventing Iran from achieving nuclear weapons capability (4 September 2010)

5) Turkey’s army chief Kosaner: There are still question marks over the purpose and nature of Iran’s nuclear program (27 August 2010)

6) UK Prime Minister Cameron: Turkey can help us to stop Iran from getting the bomb (27 July 2010)

7) Israeli army chief Ashkenazi: Dialogue with the Turks is ongoing on all military levels (6 July 2010)

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“In the context of the [Obama administration’s] phased adaptive approach [to ballistic missile defense in Europe], Turkey plays an important role […] because of its geographic location.  And as we look at where the ballistic missile threats can come from, Turkey seems to us to be very much along the front lines. […]

And now the decisions are in Ankara to make, both on Turkey’s role but especially, and this is another important point, especially on where Turkey is when it comes to voting at [NATO’s Lisbon Summit] […] on whether to take on missile defense, territorial missile defense, as a NATO capability.”

[US Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for European and NATO Policy Jim Townsend JR., briefing on the upcoming NATO Ministerial Meetings in Brussels, Washington Foreign Press Center, Washington, D.C., 12 October 2010] [1]

“As an ally, Turkey will extend any kind of support to NATO and we attach utmost importance to new strategic concept and reforms in NATO. ”

[Turkey’s Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, meeting with NATO’s Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen, 7 October 2010] [2]

“Proliferation of weapons of mass destruction is one of the risks of our contemporary world.”

[Turkey’s President Abdullah Gul, speech at the UN General Assembly, 23 September 2010] [3]

“[T]he enforcement of the [UN] sanctions [against Iran] are very important, and Turkey is doing that. And that will be a critical part as we move ahead. The mutual goal of Iran not achieving a nuclear weapons capability, that we completely agree on, we just need to reinforce, and both countries do all that they can to make sure that doesn’t happen.”

[Chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff Mike Mullen, press conference held after a meeting with Turkey’s new Chief of Staff Isik Kosaner, Ankara, 4 September 2010] [4]

“There are serious question marks within the international community regarding the purpose and nature of our neighbour Iran’s nuclear program. Iran’s continuation of its nuclear program despite the [U.N.] sanction resolutions and thus the possibility of this problem escalating into a military conflict would significantly impact our security.”

[Turkey’s new Chief of Staff Isik Kosaner, speech delivered at the handover-takeover ceremony, Chief of Staff headquarters, Ankara, 27 August 2010] [5]

“[I]t is Turkey that can help us to stop Iran from getting the bomb. […] [We] need Turkey’s help now in making it clear to Iran just how serious we are about engaging fully with the international community.”

[UK Prime Minister David Cameron’s speech at the Turkish Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges (TOBB), Ankara, 27 July 2010] [6]

“Dialogue with the Turks is ongoing on all military levels, and there are also [military] exercises.”

[Israeli army chief Gabi Ashkenazi, briefing to Israeli Parliament Knesset’s Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, 6 July 2010] [7]


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notes:


[1] U.S. Official on Upcoming NATO Ministerial Meetings in Brussels

America.gov, 12 October 2010

http://www.america.gov/st/texttrans-english/2010/October/20101013120518su0.9436718.html?CP.rss=true


[2] Turkish PM receives NATO SG

Anadolu Agency, 7 October 2010

http://www.aa.com.tr/en/turkish-pm-receives-nato-sg.html


[3] Speech delivered by H.E. Mr. Abdullah Gül, President of the Republic of Turkey to the General Debate of the 65th Session of the UN General Assembly

Presidency of the Republic of Turkey website, 23 September 2010

http://www.tccb.gov.tr/speeches-statements/344/77346/speech-delivered-by-h-e-mr-abdullah-gul-president-of-the-republic-of-turkey-to-the-general-debate-of.html


[4] Ankara Press Conference

Joint Chiefs of Staff official website, 4 September 2010

http://www.jcs.mil/speech.aspx?id=1454


[5] [Note: This quote has been translated from Turkish by Cem Ertür]

Orgeneral Isik Kosaner’in Genelkurmay Baskanligi Devir-Teslim Toreni Konusmasi (General Isik Kosaner’s Speech at the Handover-Takeover Ceremony of Chief of Staff)

Genelkurmay Baskanligi sitesi (Turkish General Staff website), 27 August 2010

http://www.tsk.tr/10_ARSIV/10_1_Basin_Yayin_Faaliyetleri/10_1_7_Konusmalar/2010/org_isikkosaner_dvrtslkonusmasi_27082010.html


[6] PM’s speech in Turkey

Number10.gov.uk (the official site of the UK Prime Minister’s office), 27 July 2010

http://www.number10.gov.uk/news/speeches-and-transcripts/2010/07/pms-speech-in-turkey-53869


[7] IDF chief: Military ties with Turkey intact

by Attila Somfalvi, Ynetnews, 6 July 2010

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3915905,00.html


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from the archives:


Israeli army chief: Dialogue with the Turks is ongoing on all military levels (8 July 2010)

https://dandelionsalad.wordpress.com/2010/07/08/israeli-army-chief-dialogue-with-the-turks-is-ongoing-on-all-military-levels/


Turkey’s Foreign Minister to Iran: You must show that you are acting transparently (23 April 2010)

https://dandelionsalad.wordpress.com/2010/04/23/turkey-to-iran-you-must-show-that-you-are-acting-transparently/


Turkey’s Prime Minister: I don’t think new sanctions against Iran can bring results (6 April 2010)

https://dandelionsalad.wordpress.com/2010/04/07/turkey%E2%80%99-prime-minister-i-don%E2%80%99t-think-new-sanctions-against-iran-can-bring-results/


Once again, a CSIS report designates Turkey as the optimum route for a possible Israeli attack on Iran (30 March 2010)

https://dandelionsalad.wordpress.com/2010/03/30/once-again-a-csis-report-designates-turkey-as-the-optimum-route-for-a-possible-israeli-attack-on-iran/


Turkey’s President Gul: Iran’s ultimate aspiration is to acquire nuclear weapons (29 March 2010)

https://dandelionsalad.wordpress.com/2010/03/29/turkey%E2%80%99s-president-gul-iran%E2%80%99s-ultimate-aspiration-is-to-acquire-nuclear-weapons/


NATO chief: Iran’s Shahab-3 missiles will put Turkey, Greece, Romania and Bulgaria within reach (27 March 2010)

https://dandelionsalad.wordpress.com/2010/03/27/nato-chief-weapons-of-mass-destruction-threat-is-real-and-growing/


US official: Turkey has international responsibilities that extend beyond its immediate neighbourhood (18 March 2010)

https://dandelionsalad.wordpress.com/2010/03/17/us-official-turkey-has-international-responsibilities-that-extend-beyond-its-immediate-neighbourhood/


Israeli army chief visits Turkey to hold talks on Iran’s nuclear program (16 March 2010)

https://dandelionsalad.wordpress.com/2010/03/16/israeli-army-chief-visits-turkey-to-hold-talks-on-iran%E2%80%99s-nuclear-program/


Israeli minister warns Turkey: Iran’s nuclear programme would pose a danger for the whole world (23 November 2009)

https://dandelionsalad.wordpress.com/2009/11/23/israeli-minister-to-turkey-iran%E2%80%99s-nuclear-programme-would-pose-a-danger-for-the-whole-world/


Pentagon offers Patriot missiles to Turkey (18 September 2009)

https://dandelionsalad.wordpress.com/2009/09/18/obama-president-bush-was-right-that-irans-ballistic-missile-program-poses-a-significant-threat/


US Ambassador to Turkey: Iran’s pursuit of nuclear weapons is a great danger to Turkey (23 June 2009)

https://dandelionsalad.wordpress.com/2009/06/23/us-ambassador-iran%E2%80%99s-pursuit-of-nuclear-weapons-is-a-great-danger-to-turkey/


Obama: No one in the Middle East is served by Iran’s nuclear weapons ambitions, least of all Turkey (7 April 2009)

https://dandelionsalad.wordpress.com/2009/04/07/obama-irans-nuclear-and-ballistic-missile-activity-poses-a-real-threat-to-its-neighbors/

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