"Obama Turkey visit to focus on Iraq, Afghanistan" by Suzan Fraser and Robert Burns, Associated Press Writers | March 7, 2009
ANKARA, Turkey --For one of his first foreign visits, President Barack Obama will call on NATO ally Turkey, an overwhelmingly Muslim country viewed as critical to aiding the U.S. pullout from Iraq, turning around the Afghanistan war and blocking Iran's nuclear ambitions.
The invasion of Iraq has strained the long friendship between the U.S. and Turkey, a Western-style democracy that straddles Europe and the Middle East and has an Islamic-oriented government....
Aren't you afraid, America?
Turkey had advised against the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq in 2003 and refused to permit U.S. ground forces to launch elements of the attack from Turkish soil. In a more cordial atmosphere now, Washington and Ankara are consulting on ways Turkey can help facilitate the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq. Turkey has said it is ready to serve as an exit route for the Americans. The U.S. air base at Incirlik, Turkey, has been used for transfer of U.S. troops and equipment to Iraq and Afghanistan....
Before Obama sees NATO leaders, his national security council plans to finish an Afghanistan policy review. The manner in which that policy is announced is expected to be packaged with direct outreach to the Muslim world....
The war effort in Afghanistan has deteriorated the past two years as the Taliban and extremist insurgency has gained strength and U.S. and allied casualties have increased. Obama has approved sending an additional 17,000 U.S. troops to Afghanistan this spring and summer, but he also has emphasized the need to have a broader, unified international approach to the war.
The Turks think the U.S. should put more focus on expanding and improving the Afghan security forces and on pressing Afghan authorities to reconcile with elements of the Islamic insurgency.... --more--"
"In Turkey, Clinton says Obama to visit, shore up alliance; Ties viewed as key to regional interests of US" by Scott Wilson, Washington Post | March 8, 2009
WASHINGTON - .... Clinton also encouraged peace contacts between Israel and Syria, as two senior US officials made a rare visit to Syria in a sign of warming ties between Washington and Damascus.
Related: Israel's Puppets Dance to the Tune
Assistant Secretary of State Jeffrey Feltman, who is a former ambassador to Lebanon, and National Security Council official Daniel Shapiro visited Syria. Feltman called their discussions with Foreign Minister Walid Moallem "very constructive" but disclosed no details. The official Syrian news agency said the two sides discussed ways to build ties and exchanged views on the Middle East....
I'm sure the Muslims and Arabs love greeting exclusively Zionist diplomats from America, don't you?
And why is the Washington Post lifting AP paragraphs for its stories, huh?
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