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Başbuğ expresses strong will in fight against terror
“Regardless of its aim, terror is an anti-human act. It threatens people’s right to live, the common values of humanity, democracy and freedom. … However, we should bury our grief deep in our hearts and continue the fight against terror with full determination,” the military chief stated on Monday, addressing participants at the Symposium on Global Terror and International Cooperation held at the Bilkent Hotel in Ankara. Israeli Chief of General Staff Lt. Gen. Gabi Ashkenazi was also among the participants of the symposium.
During his speech, Başbuğ maintained that the globalization of terror has made it an obligation to globalize the fight against terror. “Terror is inhumane. It is merciless,” Başbuğ said, and turned to honor Muhammad Masood Aslam, a Pakistani lieutenant general. “I met him on Oct. 14, 2009, during my visit to Pakistan. The general, unfortunately, lost his only son in a terror attack on Dec. 4, 2009. My intention is not to make him remember of his sorrow. My intention is to share his grief with all of you. We should not bow to terror. Aslam’s presence here is the best example of determination in the fight against terror,” the military chief remarked.
Başbuğ also condemned efforts to associate Islam with terror, saying such an association would only serve the political purpose of global terror.
Israeli military chief meets with Başbuğ amid strained relations Israeli Chief of General Staff Lt. Gen. Gabi Ashkenazi visited Ankara on Monday to attend a NATO conference on terrorism and international cooperation, meeting briefly with his Turkish counterpart, Gen. İlker Başbuğ, on the sidelines of the conference. Ashkenazi’s visit, the first by an Israeli military chief since 2005, comes at a time when relations between Turkey and Israel are strained over Turkish criticism of Israeli treatment of Palestinians in the isolated Gaza Strip. Defense ties have traditionally constituted the backbone of Turkish-Israeli cooperation, but Turkey canceled a joint air force drill with Israel last October due to an Israeli offensive in Gaza in January 2009. Ashkenazi was also scheduled to meet with Defense Minister Vecdi Gönül during his visit, according to a statement from the Israeli army. He was to present Turkish officials with a strategic overview of the region, focusing on Iran’s nuclear race, the rearmament of Hamas and Hezbollah, according to the Israeli Jerusalem Post. The trip was initially kept secret, in light of political tensions between Turkey and Israel, the paper also said. Ankara Today’s Zaman |
“Turkey has been fighting against the Kurdistan Workers’ Party [PKK] for over 30 years now. We have suffered much during this period. We have paid heavy costs. We should not forget that states and nations should be ready to pay costs when necessary. At the end of this bitter experience, we have learned that counterterrorism efforts need international cooperation,” he noted. The PKK was established in the early 1980s in an effort to protect the rights of Turkey’s Kurds. The organization turned violent and started attacking civilians and security forces in Turkey. More than 40,000 people have so far lost their lives in the fight against the terrorist organization.
Retired Gen. Hurşit Tolon, a former 1st Army Corps commander, also attended the symposium. Tolon is a prime suspect in the Ergenekon case, an investigation into a criminal organization accused of working to overthrow the government. Tolon was released from prison last year pending trial for health reasons. The military chief recommended that participants in the symposium be patient with counterterrorism efforts. “We should never forget that the fight against terror necessitates patience and willpower. The necessity of the fight against terror should, naturally, be perceived and appreciated by political figures, the media and the public as well as security forces,” he remarked.
Başbuğ also boasted that the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) is engaged in social development projects. “If you ask me whether it is the duty of the armed forces to be engaged in such projects, I say yes. Our country is a large one. It has many areas of settlement. Our state cannot reach every part of the country as its opportunities are limited. In places where the state fails to reach, the needs of the locals are met by the armed forces. This is what we do and boast about. We believe this is a very important duty,” he added.
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