Critical letter from Pentagon
Güncelleme Tarihi:
Only two months after the beginning of the "information sharing" between United States and Turkey to struggle with PKK terrorist organization based on Northern Iraq, the "first demand" of Washington administration came to Ankara. US Secretary of Defense Robert Gates sent a letter to his Turkish counterpart, Vecdi Gonul, asking the increase of Turkish troops' role in the fight against terrorism in Afghanistan.
Althought Turkey has already forces in Afghanistan under the NATO umbrella, these troops are currently based on the command center in the country's capital Kabul.
Gates, in his letter which arrived on the first week of February in Ankara, informed Turkish Minister Gonul that Washington administration decided to sent more than 3000 marines to Afghanistan. He asked Turkish government whether to increase the number of Turkish soldiers in Afghanistan and replace them with operational troops, or to ease the restrictions put to the rules of engagements by the Turkish government. Turkey limited its contribution to the NATO Afghanistan force only with providing the security of the Kabul center.The issue is expected to be raised during the NATO Defense minister informal meeting in Vilnius. Gates, who will also participate to the International Security conference in Munich during the weekend, is expected to have a separate meeting with Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, one of the keynote speakers of the same conference.