US embassy cable - 03ANKARA4240

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 ANKARA 004240 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/28/2012 
TAGS: PGOV, PREL, TU 
SUBJECT: TURKEY: GROWING HOSTILITY TOWARD USG IN WAKE OF N. 
IRAQ INCIDENT 
 
 
(U) Classified by DCM Robert S. Deutsch. Reason:1.5(b)(d) 
 
 
1. (C) Summary: Despite the release of the Turks detained by 
U.S. forces in Suleimaniye, negative press and public 
reaction to the U.S. operation reached new heights in the 
July 7 morning papers.  The hostile press reaction will 
continue to grow absent a clear and forceful public 
justification for the operation.  The Turkish public's sense 
of outrage is amplified and fed by the domestic political 
struggle underway between the AK Government, more traditional 
parties and the military -- and among elements of the 
military leadership -- for primacy of place in policy 
decision-making.  End Summary. 
 
 
-------------------------------- 
Criticism from U.S. "Friends"... 
-------------------------------- 
 
 
2. (U) "Hurriyet," Turkey's largest-circulation daily, 
described the event on its front page as a "shock" equal to 
that of the 1964 "Johnson letter" which warned Turkey not to 
use U.S. weapons in Cyprus. 
 
 
-- Ertugrul Ozkok, "Hurriyet" editor-in-chief (who strongly 
supported the defeated resolution for U.S. troop 
deployments), characterized the incident as a "fiasco as deep 
as the Bay of Pigs."  Ozkok said the decision to carry out 
the raid was "beyond stupidity" and asserted that by this 
action the U.S. has "lost the best friends it had in Turkey." 
 He accuses the  U.S. of "taking revenge" on Turkey by an 
action that goes beyond the limits of "penalizing Turkey" for 
the March 1 vote.  He also urged Turkey to "keep its 
distance" from the United States. 
 
 
-- Former P.M. Ecevit asserted to journalists that the U.S. 
was acting "like an enemy" and "provocateur."  Other 
mainstream political leaders -- including the dovish former 
FONMIN Ismail Cem -- seeking to boost their pro-Establishment 
credentials and strike a blow against P.M. Erdogan, have 
roundly criticized the AK Party/Government for its relatively 
mild reaction against the USG. 
 
 
-- All papers highlight the decision of the TGS to withdraw 
its liaison officers from U.S. Centcom Headquarters in Tampa, 
as well as the cancellation of General Hursit Tolon's planned 
travel to Centcom for a change of command ceremony.  Calls 
for further Turkish action are gaining strength. 
 
 
-------------------------- 
...And From Other Quarters 
-------------------------- 
 
 
3. (U) Public reaction was further inflamed by press reports 
from Turkish MFA sources claiming significant damage to the 
Turkish special forces office in Suleymaniye.  An MFA 
official on the scene said that computers, files, several 
vehicles, and 106,000 USD in cash had been taken by U.S. 
forces.  A cook who was initially detained with the special 
forces members described how the prisoners were hooded and 
treated roughly, "just like al-Qaeda militants." 
 
 
-- An ITF representative claimed to Establishment 
standard-bearer "Cumhuriyet" that he had been "tortured" by 
the Americans during his detention. Opposition leaders from 
across the political spectrum demanded that the GOT seek an 
apology from the United States.  Some characterized the raid 
as the action of an "enemy." 
 
 
-- The influential Islam-influenced "Yeni Safak" launched a 
front-page appeal to the GOT to cancel Turkey's purchase of 
four AWACS planes from Boeing.  The deal had already come 
under scrutiny from Parliament's anti-corruption committee 
for alleged overcharging and other irregularities. 
 
 
--------------------- 
Demanding USG Explain 
--------------------- 
 
 
4. (U) Many Turkish commentators note that the U.S. has yet 
to provide any evidence justifying the action.  FM Gul 
claimed that in his two conversations with Secretary Powell, 
the Secretary failed to provide any details on the reasons 
for the action, referring only to unspecified "intelligence 
reports."  Gul described the claim that Turkish forces were 
involved in a plot to assassinate an official in Kirkuk as 
"absolute nonsense."  Following his conversation with Vice 
President Cheney, PM Erdogan issued a statement claiming that 
the Vice President had declined to give any explanation of 
the incident. 
 
 
----------------- 
Gen. Ozkok Speaks 
----------------- 
 
 
5. (C) Immediately after his farewell meeting with 
Ambassador, TGS Chief Gen. Hilmi Ozkok announced that the 
requirements of "Turkish national and Turkish military honor" 
should be secured.  He offered that he does not think that 
the incident reflected "United States policy or the policy of 
the U.S. military."  However, Ozkok also asserted that he has 
"difficulty evaluating" the incident as "a purely local 
event." 
 
 
-------------- 
The Back Story 
-------------- 
 
 
6. (C) Behind the face-saving bluster, we have picked up 
indications that some Turks privately understand that the 
current crisis was generated in the fist instance by a 
Turkish military -- or elements thereof -- up to something in 
n.Iraq. 
 
 
-- "Hurriyet's" Cuneyt Ulsever in his July 7 column 
questioned whether the civilian authorities were aware of 
precisely what Turkish forces were doing in Iraq.  He noted 
to us privately on July 6 that, despite what politicians and 
others might be saying, it was understood that the military: 
1) had been up to "something" nefarious in Iraq, and was 
acting on its own; 2) is still smarting from the public 
perception that the USG completely and easily disregarded TGS 
"red lines" in the run-up and during the war; 3) acted out of 
frustration, and to change the perception that the military 
could be easily tilted at by foreign powers and domestic 
political rivals (i.e., ruling AK party); and 4) is "leaking" 
comments to journalists to the effect that "the Turkish 
military will never forget" this incident. 
 
 
-- An MFA official with long experience in the U.S. and with 
USG-GOT relations privately offered the following assessment: 
1) the incident is a blow to USG-GOT ties, but only a 
temporary set back; 2) the real impact of the affair will be 
felt in Turkish domestic affairs, and will deepen the 
mistrust between the elected civilians and the military; and 
3) that in the end, "the military will be weakened 
politically -- and that this is the silver lining" to the 
crisis, he added. 
 
 
-- Several political and journalist contacts shared with us 
privately their conviction that the U.S. would not have acted 
without any justification.  Some suggested that the 
activities of the Turkish Special Forces may have been 
planned without the knowledge of the most senior TGS leaders. 
 But even they all clearly pulled their punches in pursuing 
this line in print. 
 
 
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Comment 
------- 
 
 
7. (C) The negative press reaction will continue to grow 
until we can offer a clear and forceful public justification 
for the operation -- partly because of the Turkish public's 
sense of outrage, but also because of the domestic political 
power struggle underway between the AK Government, more 
traditional parties and the military for primacy of place in 
policy decision-making.  In this context, it is worth keeping 
in mind that the story is breaking against a backdrop not 
only of growing AK-TGS tensions, but of tensions within the 
AK party and in the military itself. 
PEARSON