[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 34 (Thursday, March 23, 2000)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E414-E415]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  TURKEY REMAINS A STRATEGIC U.S. ALLY

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. ROBERT WEXLER

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, March 23, 2000

  Mr. WEXLER. Mr. Speaker, President Clinton's trip to South Asia, home 
to one-fifth of the world's population and to two nuclear powers, 
reminds us of the volatility of the world around us. It reminds us as 
well of our obligation, as the world's remaining superpower and as the 
world's greatest exponent of democracy, to seek a strengthening of the 
democratic principles wherever we are.
  Over the years, we have forged a network of allies who have shared 
this burden with us, often at considerable human and economic cost to 
themselves. Few of our allies have been as important to us as Turkey.
  During the Cold War era, Turkey guarded NATO's southern flank. For 
five decades, Turkey stood as a bulwark against the Soviet Union's 
southern expansion. Its soldiers stood side by side with ours in Korea 
and its land was utilized by our armed forces for bases.
  During the Gulf War, Turkey was integral to our strategy for blunting 
and then defeating the aggression launched by Saddam Hussein. Turkish 
bases were the launching pad for the northern attacks and our large 
base at Incirlik continues to offer protection for Iraqi opposition as 
part of Operation Northern Watch. Turkey's alliance with us cost it $35 
billion in foregone trade and pipeline fees--a sum whose equivalence in 
the U.S. context would be $900 billion.
  Today, even as the Cold War is a decade gone, Turkey remains one of 
our most steadfast and crucial allies. Their contributions to the 
United States, and the policies we seek to implement remain crucial to 
us. Let me offer several examples:
  Turkey is the only secular democracy in the Islamic world. At a time 
when Islamic fundamentalism and its attendant anti-American stance are 
on the rise, Turkey provides a model for the co-existence of Islam and 
a pluralistic society.
  Turkey is central to the containment of Saddam Hussein and ultimate 
removal of him from office. There can be no successful anti-Saddam 
strategy without the full involvement and support to Turkey.
  Turkey was the first Muslim nation to recognize Israel and remains 
one of only a few Muslim nations to establish full diplomatic relations 
with that nation. The two have forged close military and political 
linkages that serve as a means to help bring peace and security to the 
Middle East.
  Turkey will be home to new pipelines carrying oil and gas from the 
Caspian Basin to U.S. and Western markets. Turkey is integral to our 
long-term energy security.
  Turkey is partnering with the United States in an effort to provide 
economic and technical

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support to the emerging democracies from the former Soviet Union in 
order to help ensure their economic viability and democratic future.
  Turkey works with the United States in trying to stabilize the 
situation in the Balkans, and Turkey has taken the lead in trying to 
rebuild Bosnia.
  Mr. Speaker, the above examples demonstrate the fundamental 
importance of maintaining, and in fact expanding, strong U.S.-Turkish 
economic, defense and political ties.
  I am pleased that we continue to have a good and strong relationship 
with Turkey. It is vital in today's volatile world that such relations 
continue.