[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 156 (2010), Part 8]
[Senate]
[Pages 11483-11484]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                                 TURKEY

  Mr. LAUTENBERG. Mr. President, this past weekend, 12 Turkish soldiers 
were killed by PKK terrorists. Yesterday, another four Turkish soldiers 
were killed, as well as the innocent daughter of an officer, and 
according to the Turkish government, the PKK is responsible for this 
massacre as well.
  Our condolences go out to these families and all the people of 
Turkey. Terrorist assaults are unacceptable wherever they occur in the 
world, and we all have to fight together against them.
  We are reminded of our common bond with Turkey, and our common fight 
against terrorists and terror wherever we see it. Turkey has been an 
important ally, a democracy in a troubled region and a force for 
stability.
  We must keep in mind that Turkey has been a member of NATO since 
1952. They established a strategic and military alliance with Israel in 
the 1990s, and now have boots on the ground in Afghanistan helping us 
there.
  For many years, the bond between the United States and Turkey has 
been strong and unchallengeable. Despite this progress, Turkey's 
current prime minister is jeopardizing and risking much of what his 
country and the Turkish people have accomplished over recent decades. 
Moving Turkey away from the middle and toward a dangerous extremist 
path cannot possibly be a good course of action for that country.
  Prime Minister Erdogan used his vote on the U.N. Security Council to 
oppose sanctions on Iran. He calls Iranian President Ahmadinejad a 
friend, while turning away from those in Iran who would promote peace. 
He has normalized relations with Syria, despite its support for 
terrorist groups Hezbollah and Hamas.
  In fact, I was on a visit recently--last year--to Turkey with two 
other Senators. We joined the prime minister in his conference room. 
Upon sitting down, he forcefully declared that ``Hamas is not a 
terrorist organization.'' That is a deeply troubling statement from a 
member of NATO.
  Hamas has refused to accept the existence of Israel, a country of 
more than 7 million people, while declaring threats to destroy the 
country. It has unleashed more than 10,000 rockets on Israeli 
neighborhoods and threatens to send thousands more.
  This group has sent suicide bombers into Israel, who have killed not 
only Israelis, but Americans also, including people from my State of 
New Jersey.

[[Page 11484]]

  What puzzles me most of all is how Prime Minister Erdogan refuses to 
condemn Hamas for a terrorist organization for engaging in the same 
murderous activity as the PKK. It doesn't add up. It challenges 
Turkey's standing across the world.
  The PKK is so dangerous to the Turkish people, their economy, and 
their national well-being for the very same reasons that Hamas is 
dangerous to Israel.
  The prime minister's alignment with the most radical forces in the 
Middle East is a serious concern for all of us. But the situation is 
not irreversible.
  I hope that Prime Minister Erdogan changes course, rejects his drift 
toward extremism, and embraces the moderate forces within Turkey and 
across the Middle East. If Turkey wants the standing and respect that a 
balanced democratic nation earns, it has to treat all peaceful nations 
the same and terrorists with disdain.
  I was in Turkey some years ago when the PKK--primarily of Kurdish 
population--was thought to be a concern, but not particularly active in 
the terrorism that I saw, anyway, in my visit there. But we saw them 
then putting people in prison because they differed in opinion with the 
government. I thought that was a sign of censorship that didn't fit the 
picture, but they knew that in the Kurdish community, there was a lot 
of resistance to what the Turkish Government was doing.
  Now we see that Turkey has 30,000 troops chasing the PKK on the 
border near Iraq. So it is hard to understand how a nation that has the 
power that Turkey could have in the Middle East--and in the world 
generally--is falling prey to identifying one group as friendly and 
another group--or one group as terrorists in one place and a good-
meaning organization in another. Hamas is a terrorist organization, and 
everybody knows it. They have overtaken the Gaza, and they control all 
the flow of everything there--arms, et cetera--and maintain an arsenal 
with which to attack Israel.
  We have to let Turkey know this is not a good way for us to continue 
an alliance. We have an interest in balance and respect for the 
countries in the Middle East. So I hope we can continue a long-time, 
close relationship with this great country and long-time friend.
  I close with a wish that in Turkey they will take a second look at 
the policies they are currently condoning and join with us in the fight 
against terrorism.
  I yield the floor and suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The assistant legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Ms. STABENOW. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order 
for the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Franken). Without objection, it is so 
ordered.

                          ____________________