Quote: "Peace at Home, Peace in the World." Kemal Atatürk, founder and first president of the Turkish Republic.

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The Bush administration had offered thirty billion dollars in grants and loan guarantees, including six billion dollars in cash. What a colossal bribe to a would-be ally. Still not enough to convince us that war is necessary, replied the Turkish Parliament.

Turkey is a democracy, that great form of government touted by Bush as the salvation of the Middle East. Yet this democracy has voted against war. What, a democracy that works?

At first it seemed that this was a minor setback for the Bush administration. Certainly, it is possible to implement other war plans. But upon reflection it seems that this setback is not just an annoyance, it is huge. It came within minutes of the report that 22 Arab League countries had united to issue a "complete rejection of any aggression on Iraq". Consider, the Arab League includes countries such as Kuwait, which was invaded by Iraq twelve years ago. What has changed?

Turkey's decision and the Arab League communique seem to demonstrate that the Bush policy for war against Iraq at any cost is faltering.

Against a backdrop of the Bush administration pooh-poohing Iraq's destruction of missiles as "deception" in stark contrast to the view of other nations, the Bush adminstration seems increasingly arrogant and out of touch.

Here are links to the story of the Turkish Parliament's vote:

www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A23284-2003Mar1.html

www.msnbc.com/news/867008.asp

We should express appreciation to Turkey, and at the same time declare that the American people are still friends with the people of Turkey, whatever our government's response may be.

Here are email addresses that you may use to express your views.

Only brief, friendly expressions of appreciation please! And forward this to other like-minded anti-war activists!

Turkey's Prime Minister ABDULLAH GÜL

abdullah.gul (at) basbakanlik.gov.tr

Turkish Embassy in the USA

turkish (at) erols.com

Turkish Parliament

tpb (at) tpb.org.tr
zceliker (at) tpb.org.tr

If any of the mailboxes are full, wait a day and send your email to that address later!