Turkish Parliament Refuses to Allow U.S. Troops In

In a surprise upset on Saturday, Turkey's parliament decided not to allow U.S. troops to be stationed in the country in the event of an Iraq war. While 264 parliamentarians voted in favor of Turkey functioning as a springboard for a U.S. offensive, 251 were opposed and 19 abstained.

Immediately after the vote reports were disseminated that the proposal had passed. But Parliamentary President Bülent Arinc later announced that it had actually failed because a majority of the parliamentarians present -- 267 -- had not voted in favor.

The U.S. put pressure on Turkey, a NATO member country, to allow it to station 62,000 troops, 255 airplanes and 65 helicopters in the country. It had offered Turkey -- which is going through an economic recession -- billion of dollars to offset any economic losses the country might suffer.

Critical period for Turkey

The Turkish cabinet had already agreed to allow the U.S. to station its soldiers there on Tuesday (Feb. 25) pending parliamentary endorsement. A decision from the chamber had been delayed several times. Political observers speculated that the delay was caused by the government trying to ensure the proposal would be approved in parliament.

Approval would also have sent Turkish troops to northern Iraq in the event of a war. The government said they would be needed there both to prevent a refugee crisis and the creation of a Kurdish state. Turkey fears that fighting in the region may re-ignite the Kurdish conflict in Turkey's southeast.

Prime Minister Abdullah Gül, however, said on Saturday that the country has a critical period ahead of it. The government will examine what economic and political steps need to be taken, he announced.

Gül said that the decision had not harmed U.S.-Turkish relations, which "are safe in friendship and mutual understanding."

Another vote on the proposal to station U.S. troops in Turkey is possible at a later date.

U.S. military circles reported that Washington could quickly change its plans.

Thousands of protesters jubilant

While parliamentarians debated behind closed doors, more than 10,000 demonstrators protested outside of the parliament building in Ankara against Turkey allowing the stationing of U.S. troops. Protesters danced on the streets when the result of the vote was made public.

According to opinion polls, more than 80 percent of the Turkish population opposes a military offensive against Iraq to resolve the current conflict over the country's disarmament.