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I really hope we can bring Israel into the sanctions discussion, and here's the reason why, Philippa >===== Original Message From loumorgan@earthlink.net ===== >>From the FreePalestine e-list: > >CHENEY SAYS U.S. WILL ATTACK >IRAQ "FOR ISRAEL'S SAKE" > >IAP News >20 March 2002 > >US vice-President Dick Cheney reportedly told Israeli Prime Minister >Ariel >Sharon that the U.S. was planning to attack Iraq 'first and foremost for > >Israel's sake.' > >According to Israeli sources quoted by Israeli state-run radio >Wednesday, >Cheney asked Sharon to 'tone down' the confrontation with the >Palestinians so >as not to disrupt or disturb American plans vis-a-vis Iraq. > >The sources quoted Cheney as saying that he expected President Bush to >decide >to attack Iraq in spite of widespread opposition in the Arab world. > >Sharon said publicly Tuesday that Israel would bless wholeheartedly any >American attack on Iraq, telling Cheney that the US 'can always count on >us.' > >Israeli press reported this week that Sharon was hoping that a decisive >American onslaught against Iraq would demoralize the Palestinians and >force >them to concede defeat and put an end to the intifada. > >However, Cheney and Sharon reportedly agreed to keep coordination and >cooperation on Iraq behind the curtain in order not to embarrass >pro-American >puppet Arab regimes. > >Cheney arrived in Ankara Tuesday on an 11-nation visit to the Middle >East and >Britain that many have said was aimed at drumming up support for a >possible >campaign to overthrow President Saddam. > >Turkish leaders have repeatedly voiced opposition to any action against >their >southern neighbor. > >'There is no question of any military action against Iraq in the >foreseeable >future,' Turkish Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit told reporters after >meeting with >Cheney. Ankara, the Turkish capital, was the last stop on Cheney's >tour. > >Cheney said in occupied Jerusalem earlier Tuesday that no decision had >yet been >made on whether to attack Iraq. > >Turkish police tightened security in downtown Ankara hours before >Cheney's >arrival and detained 80 people for lack of proper identification, the >Anatolia >news agency reported. A few hundred people from trade unions and small >left-wing parties protested Cheney's visit, shouting anti-US slogans. > >Local reports said the Turkish leaders would tell Cheney that Turkey >would not >contribute any troops to a possible US campaign against Iraq. However, >Turkey >would discuss providing logistical support, such as the use of its air >bases, >the reports said. > >Turkey, a close US and Israeli ally, has strongly supported Washington's > >anti-terror campaign in Afghanistan. > >Turkey was a staging point for US attacks during the Gulf War and US >planes are >already based in Turkey's southern Incirlik air base from which they >patrol a >no-fly zone over northern Iraq. > >But Turkey fears that a war in Iraq could further destabilise the >region, >devastate its fragile economy, and lead to the creation of a separate >Kurdish >state in northern Iraq that could in turn encourage similar ambitions >among >Turkey's 12 million Kurds. > >Iraqi Kurdish leader Jalal Talabani also arrived in Ankara for talks >Tuesday. >Talabani was not expected to meet with Cheney, but in a previous visit >the >Kurdish leader said he opposed a direct US intervention in Iraq. _______________________________________________ Sent via the discussion list of the Campaign Against Sanctions on Iraq. To unsubscribe, visit http://lists.casi.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/casi-discuss To contact the list manager, email casi-discuss-admin@lists.casi.org.uk All postings are archived on CASI's website: http://www.casi.org.uk