[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 161 (2015), Part 9]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 13368]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




          COMMENDING UNITED STATES-TURKEY MILITARY COOPERATION

                                 ______
                                 

                       HON. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, July 29, 2015

  Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I was very pleased 
to hear the announcement made last Thursday that Incirlik Air Base in 
Turkey will now be made available for both unmanned and manned 
airstrikes against the Islamic State. The announcement indicates a 
substantial increase in cooperation with our longstanding NATO ally, 
the Republic of Turkey. The enhanced operations will include the direct 
involvement of the Turkish Air Force in conjunction with our own 
military.
  In recent days, Islamic State terrorists have stepped up their 
attacks on Turkey. On July 20, a suicide bomber took the lives of 32 
innocent civilians near a cultural center in Suruc, Turkey. On July 23, 
a non-commissioned Turkish officer was killed in an armed attack at a 
military border post at Elbeyli, Turkey. I wish to express my sincere 
condolences to our friends in Turkey for these losses, which provide 
further evidence of the barbaric nature of the terrorist forces now 
dominating much of Syria and Iraq.
  It is more essential than ever that we deepen our cooperation with 
key allies like Turkey as we seek to bring peace and security to a 
troubled region. I wish to commend the continued cooperative efforts of 
the military leadership in both the United States and the Republic of 
Turkey. It is essential that this bond between our countries remains 
strong as we confront this strategic challenge.

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