This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ANKARA 002059 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR INR/R/MR, EUR/SE, EUR/PD, NEA/PD, DRL 
JCS PASS J-5/CDR S. WRIGHT 
 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: OPRC KMDR TU
SUBJECT: ANKARA MEDIA REACTION REPORT 
FRIDAY, MARCH 28, 2003 
 
 
THIS REPORT WILL PRESENT A TURKISH PRESS SUMMARY UNDER THREE 
THEMES: 
 
 
HEADLINES 
BRIEFING 
EDITORIAL OPINION 
                         ------- 
 
 
HEADLINES 
 
 
MASS APPEAL 
Bush: We will fight until Saddam is removed - Hurriyet 
Powell blames Rumsfeld for failure in operation - Turkiye 
Warm messages by Wolfowitz - Milliyet 
War might take months - Aksam 
U.S., UK urge UN to provide Iraq food for oil - Sabah 
People dying while Bush, Blair enjoy themselves - Vatan 
Saddam sends teenagers to the front - Milliyet 
Robert Fisk: `Saviors' burn people alive - Vatan 
 
 
OPINION MAKERS 
U.S. dream of `fast result' shattered in a week - Radikal 
1000 U.S. paratroopers in N. Iraq - Radikal 
Gen. Ozkok's N. Iraq statement relieves U.S., Kurds - 
Cumhuriyet 
Fierce Shiite, tribal resistance toughens invasion plans - 
Yeni Safak 
Desert storm, mud weaken U.S., UK troops - Zaman 
`Friendly fire' kills U.S., UK troops - Cumhuriyet 
U.S. to get lion's share in post-war contracts - Yeni Safak 
U.S., UK fight over Iraq's riches - Zaman 
Hackers put U.S. flag on Al-Jazeera webpage - Zaman 
 
 
FINANCIAL JOURNALS 
Powell lobbies for Turkey at Congress - Dunya 
U.S. doesn't want UN involved in post-war Iraq - Finansal 
Forum 
 
 
 
 
BRIEFING 
 
 
War on Iraq: Dailies report that the U.S. has landed 
military equipment and about 1,000 paratroopers in Northern 
Iraq, an action regarded as a move to open the North Front 
against Baghdad.  Papers speculate that U.S. forces will 
march on Baghdad from the north within one month. 
"Cumhuriyet" reports that Secretary Rumsfeld stressed that 
the landing should be seen as an action that will assure 
that Iraq remains intact.  Iranian Foreign Minister Kharrazi 
phoned his Turkish counterpart on Wednesday to explore 
possibilities for cooperation to cope with a possible 
refugee crisis.  "Radikal" reports that Prime Minister 
Erdogan is complaining about ongoing pressure for deployment 
of U.S. troops in Turkey, but said that his government would 
not yield to pressure.  Papers also report that Spanish 
Foreign Minister Palacio `threatened' Turkey, saying that 
Spain would consider new policies toward Ankara on certain 
issues if Turkey deploys troops in Northern Iraq.  The 
National Security Council (NSC) will convene on Friday to 
discuss the war and developments in Iraq.  The NSC will 
evaluate anti-Turkish sentiment in the U.S. and Europe over 
alleged secret Turkish deployment plans for Northern Iraq, 
and will shape a policy to counter such accusations.  Press 
op-eds predict that the U.S. will ask for full cooperation 
from Turkey if coalition forces continue to have trouble in 
Iraq.  The Americans blame Turkey for their failure thus 
far, but at the same time recognize that launching the 
attack without Turkey's support has been a mistake, 
according to the reports.  Papers report Deputy Secretary of 
Defense Wolfowitz saying at a House of Representatives 
hearing that Turkey has suffered financial loss by denying 
access to U.S. troops, but could still realize economic 
gains in the medium term.  Wolfowitz defended the $8.5 
billion financial aid proposal for Turkey, stressing that 
Ankara has contributed a great deal by granting 
unconditional overflight rights to coalition aircraft.  Iraq 
will be a highly profitable market for Turkey once things 
become normalized, Wolfowitz added.  Papers also report 
SecState Powell's defense of Turkey at a House 
Appropriations Committee hearing.  Powell praised the GOT 
for taking the `troops decree' to parliament on March 1 
despite public opposition.  Meanwhile NGOs, unions, and 
political parties rallied in Istanbul Thursday to protest 
the war in Iraq. 
 
 
Retrial of jailed Kurdish politicians: A State Security 
Court (SSC) on Friday began the retrial of four Kurdish 
politicians of the closed Democracy Party (DEP), who have 
been in jail for the past nine years.  The four former 
parliamentarians - Leyla Zana, Hatip Dicle, Orhan Dogan and 
Selim Sadak - were given 15-year jail sentences in 1994 for 
alleged links to the outlawed PKK.  Zana had caused tension 
in parliament by taking part of her oath in Kurdish.  EU 
observers, journalists, and human rights activists are 
expected to observe the hearings. 
 
 
 
 
EDITORIAL OPINION:  War in Iraq 
 
 
"From Vietnam to Iraq" 
Hincal Uluc commented in mass appeal Sabah (3/28): "Anyone 
who wishes for a `humanitarian' war is living in a fantasy 
world.  There is no such thing as a humanitarian war.  The 
US should hasten to finish the job in Iraq, yet it seems 
impossible because of the failure of its early-stage 
planning and predictions. . US intelligence has obviously 
failed in the Iraq war, so the American administration is 
now sending positive messages to Ankara once again.  . The 
failure of the American war strategy, based on faulty 
intelligence, has deadlocked for the US administration.  The 
only way to capture Iraq is to wipe out the capital city. 
The US is capable of doing that with its military 
technology. The question is how to make this digestable to 
the American public and to the world.  . On the other hand, 
Saddam's war strategy is based on defending Baghdad until 
the bitter end, and US forces should expect strong 
resistance there.  Baghdad will be the most challenging part 
of the war.  Given factors such as the climate and Iraqi 
resistance, the longer the battle for Baghdad lasts, the 
more the Bush administration will suffer politically.  It 
may even lead to events which could signal the end of the 
Bush era." 
 
 
"Losing by winning" 
Fatih Altayli argued in mass appeal Hurriyet (3/28): "In a 
war situation, the time factor always poses disadvantages to 
the occupying force.  . Another vital factor for the 
occupying force is to be able to capture the main target at 
the peak point of the war.  In the Iraq war, this means 
capturing Baghdad.  This has not yet happened.  Evidently 
the US does not have enough forces to pursue this peak point 
yet.  The CentCom Command is now asking for an additional 
three brigades, which will take time.  This will favor the 
Iraqi regime.  The time factor is creating a dilemma for US 
forces.  The only way to eliminate the time risk is to 
conduct the battle with increased rage and violence. 
However, this option would only create another obstacle for 
the US by outraging the people of Iraq and the world.  It 
seems that although the US may win the war, it will be on 
the losing side in the longer run.  As for Iraq, it has been 
on the losing side ever since Saddam began ruling the 
country." 
 
 
PEARSON