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American Morning
Turkey Reviews U.S. Troops Plan
Aired March 18, 2003 - 07:42 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
PAULA ZAHN, CNN ANCHOR: Now we're going to head back to Kuwait City, where Bill Hemmer is standing by -- Bill.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Paula, it is quite clear, based on the military buildup, that if there is a land invasion, a primary component will come right from this country of Kuwait. But what about that northern front? Apparently, the northern front in southeastern Turkey is not necessarily dead just yet.
Let's get you to the Turkish capital of Ankara and CNN's Fredricka Whitfield, who is tracking the very latest on what's happening within the parliament.
Fredricka -- what's the update today? Hello.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, good morning, Bill.
Well, the wheels are in motion, and in this case in Turkey the wheels are talks involving the newly-elected prime minister, Tayyip Erdogan, who is meeting with some of the leaders of the majority party. It is a delicate, and some would say a desperate, measure on Erdogan's part to try to convince the majority party, and hopefully the majority of parliament in his view, to allow the U.S. military, including 60,000 troops, access to Turkish air, land and sea ports.
Now, earlier this month, parliament narrowly rejected that very proposal allowing this Turkey to be a launching pad for U.S. military operations in order to have its northern front -- invasion of the northern portion, rather, of Iraq.
However, this is a delicate and desperate measure, because Erdogan is prime minister only by about a week, and so it is likely that he will be meeting later on today with cabinet members. And so it is said that another parliamentary vote could come as early as tomorrow or perhaps even Thursday on that very same proposal to allow U.S. military troops to launch from Turkey -- Bill.
HEMMER: Now, you have to wonder what military planners on the U.S. side are thinking about whether or not they move these ships in the eastern Mediterranean or keep them where they are.
Fredricka Whitfield right now in the Turkish capital of Ankara.
Much more from Kuwait City. Here's Paula again in New York City -- Paula.
ZAHN: I guess, Bill, we might have the beginning of some of those answers in the next 36 to 48 hours or so. Thanks.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.
Aired March 18, 2003 - 07:42 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
PAULA ZAHN, CNN ANCHOR: Now we're going to head back to Kuwait City, where Bill Hemmer is standing by -- Bill.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Paula, it is quite clear, based on the military buildup, that if there is a land invasion, a primary component will come right from this country of Kuwait. But what about that northern front? Apparently, the northern front in southeastern Turkey is not necessarily dead just yet.
Let's get you to the Turkish capital of Ankara and CNN's Fredricka Whitfield, who is tracking the very latest on what's happening within the parliament.
Fredricka -- what's the update today? Hello.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, good morning, Bill.
Well, the wheels are in motion, and in this case in Turkey the wheels are talks involving the newly-elected prime minister, Tayyip Erdogan, who is meeting with some of the leaders of the majority party. It is a delicate, and some would say a desperate, measure on Erdogan's part to try to convince the majority party, and hopefully the majority of parliament in his view, to allow the U.S. military, including 60,000 troops, access to Turkish air, land and sea ports.
Now, earlier this month, parliament narrowly rejected that very proposal allowing this Turkey to be a launching pad for U.S. military operations in order to have its northern front -- invasion of the northern portion, rather, of Iraq.
However, this is a delicate and desperate measure, because Erdogan is prime minister only by about a week, and so it is likely that he will be meeting later on today with cabinet members. And so it is said that another parliamentary vote could come as early as tomorrow or perhaps even Thursday on that very same proposal to allow U.S. military troops to launch from Turkey -- Bill.
HEMMER: Now, you have to wonder what military planners on the U.S. side are thinking about whether or not they move these ships in the eastern Mediterranean or keep them where they are.
Fredricka Whitfield right now in the Turkish capital of Ankara.
Much more from Kuwait City. Here's Paula again in New York City -- Paula.
ZAHN: I guess, Bill, we might have the beginning of some of those answers in the next 36 to 48 hours or so. Thanks.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.
