Obama Needs Turkey: An Explanation

by Bruce Fein

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/bruce-fein/obama-needs-turkey-an-exp_b_394804.html

Excerpt:
Turkey is also a cornerstone of Obama's strategy in Iraq. President Obama elaborated after meeting with the Turkish Prime Minister, "We discussed our joint role in helping Iraq achieve the kind of independence and prosperity that I think has been advanced as a consequence of the election law finally being passed over the week." Turkey is on the same page with the United States in favoring a unified Iraq. It provides use of the Incirlik air base, land corridors in and out of Iraq, and a significant portion of United States military cargo headed for Iraq transit Turkey in the air or on the ground.

Turkey is a key player in resolving the Arab-Kurd-Turkmen combustible stalemate over oil-rich Kirkuk, which could spark an Iraqi civil war. There is no conflict in the Euro-Asia region, whether it is Russian bases in Armenia, Armenian occupation of Azerbaijan territory, Georgia-Russian conflict, national unity and stability of Iraq, Syria Israel conflict, Palestinian Israeli conflict, divided island of Cyprus, Greece-Macedonia conflict, independence of Kosovo issue, security of the Black Sea region, that can be resolved without the strong and positive contribution of Turkey.