The White House thinks that deploying a vessel such as the hospital ship USNS Comfort would showcase the Bush administration's support for Georgia and signal U.S. concern that Russia has sparked a humanitarian crisis in Georgia.

The Pentagon officials, who both spoke only on the condition of anonymity because they weren't authorized to discuss internal policy deliberations, said the move is unnecessary. Last week, the U.S. military sent a 12-member assessment team to determine how much humanitarian aid Georgians need.



Moreover, to send the Comfort, a destroyer or any other major naval vessel, the Bush administration would need to obtain permission from Turkey under the Montreux Convention, an international treaty that regulates naval passage in the Black Sea. So far, Turkey, which controls the Bosporus and the Dardanelles that link the Mediterranean and the Black Seas, has refused, the Pentagon officials told McClatchy.

The White House is frustrated, the officials said, but the Pentagon is unperturbed.

McClatchy Washington Bureau | 08/20/2008 | Pentagon, White House at odds over aid to Georgia

First Turkey refused to allow us to unload our ships to mount a northern assault on Iraq in the early stage of the Iraq war, then they ventured into Iraq with armed assaults on areas in Iraq, and now this. At what point will Washington realize these turkey's aren't one of allies?

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"The Democrats are the party that says government will make you smarter, taller, richer, and remove the crabgrass on your lawn. The Republicans are the party that says government doesn't work and then they get elected and prove it."
P. J. O'Rourke

"To argue with a person who has renounced the use of reason is like administering medicine to the dead."
Thomas Paine

It's the thought counts

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"Some men eventually stumble over the truth but they usually pick themselves up and walk on as if nothing ever happened."
-Winston Churchill

"But though there is no difference in this respect between the best demagogue and the worst, both of them having to present their cases equally in terms of melodrama, there is all the difference in the world between the statesman who is humbugging the people into allowing him to do the will of God, in whatever disguise it may come to him, and one who is humbugging them into furthering his personal ambition and the commercial interests of the plutocrats who own the newspapers and support him on reciprocal terms."
-George Bernard Shaw

When it's convenient.

Right now we're somewhat busy fighting two land wars in Asia, and getting reinvolved in a cold war footing with Russia.

We need Turkey more than they need us, sport.

I realize we need them but my point is every time that we rely on them they brush us off.

__________________
"The Democrats are the party that says government will make you smarter, taller, richer, and remove the crabgrass on your lawn. The Republicans are the party that says government doesn't work and then they get elected and prove it."
P. J. O'Rourke

"To argue with a person who has renounced the use of reason is like administering medicine to the dead."
Thomas Paine

No, that's not really true.

They brush us off when they think what we want will cost them more than they can afford to pay.


When for eample, we want help from them invading a Moselm nation.

Their leadership knows not to dip their dicks in that hornet's nest.

Would that ours had the same sense.

The truth depends on what you consider an allie and what I consider one to be I guess.

A fair weather friend isn't necessarily an allie to me.

__________________
"The Democrats are the party that says government will make you smarter, taller, richer, and remove the crabgrass on your lawn. The Republicans are the party that says government doesn't work and then they get elected and prove it."
P. J. O'Rourke

"To argue with a person who has renounced the use of reason is like administering medicine to the dead."
Thomas Paine

That's the way of the world. Every nation for itself.

I agree, it seems that way to me unless some other country wants something from us.

__________________
"The Democrats are the party that says government will make you smarter, taller, richer, and remove the crabgrass on your lawn. The Republicans are the party that says government doesn't work and then they get elected and prove it."
P. J. O'Rourke

"To argue with a person who has renounced the use of reason is like administering medicine to the dead."
Thomas Paine

Or us from them.

Well Denny, when it comes to geopolitics, all nations are fair weather friends.

And if you think about it for a moment, tht is probably a good thing, too.

As events move our world, alliances and foes alike must change.

Having a government not able to respond to those changes spells doom for that nation.

Consider that the USA would STILL be mortal enemies with Britian, if such pragmatism wasn't part of our foreign policy.

Bump! thx !

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hi WoW Gold

It's amazing. None of this would surprise Europe or those in the Middle East, but Washington just doesn't get the different cultures, religions and politics of the world. The Turkish history makes it clear they need to be kept on a short leash, always needing you and strong armed.

You know Denny, the crap they pulled by not letting us mount an assault from the north in Iraq very well has cost us American lives and very well has extended our stay in Iraq. Yes, things must be give and take. Yes, most nations will be self serving, but, Turkey proved beyond doubt that they are not even a fair weathered partner, not when American lives are on the line. Turkey has ridden Bush and his team like old whores. Bush should have played hardball with them over Iraq and after not letting into the North, when they crossed the Iraqi border we should have spanked them. Mongrels only understand one thing, a strong hand.

Though Turkey is very modern and secular, it is rapidly swinging towards Radical Islam. We should be thankful for the little support they have given us in the past. We will probably receive a lot less in the future.

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