[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 139 (Friday, September 25, 2015)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1361]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




     RECOGNIZING THE REPUBLIC OF TURKEY IN THEIR FIGHT AGAINST ISIS

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                         HON. ALCEE L. HASTINGS

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                       Friday, September 25, 2015

  Mr. HASTINGS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to remind my colleagues of 
the actions Turkey, a longstanding NATO ally, is taking in the fight 
against the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS), which has proven to 
be one of the greatest security challenges of our lifetime.
  In 2013, Turkey designated ISIS and all offshoots of al Qaeda as 
terrorist organizations, including the al Nusra Front. The dangers 
Turkey faces have most recently been exemplified by the attack on Suruc 
on July 20, 2015, in which 32 people tragically lost their lives. Just 
a few days later, ISIS assaulted a border military post in which a 
Turkish soldier was killed. It is disheartening to see that the 
Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) terrorist organization has taken ISIS 
attacks against Turkey as an opportunity to restart its terrorist 
campaign against civilians and officials.
  Facing these threats, Turkey has become an even more active coalition 
partner against ISIS. Recently, Turkey opened its military base in 
Incirlik for manned and unmanned coalition air operations, and has also 
deployed its own aircraft for air strikes against ISIS targets in 
Syria. This cooperation has allowed our countries to more effectively 
combat the threat of ISIS.
  Mr. Speaker, I condemn the terrorist actions of ISIS and commend our 
ally for their furthered commitment in the fight against this terrorist 
organization. As a former President for the Parliamentary Assembly of 
the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE PA), I 
have worked closely with my Turkish counterparts, and know that the 
international effort has been bolstered by the steps Turkey has taken. 
I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing these tremendous efforts 
by our ally, as we both move forward to combat the threat of ISIS.

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