The prime minister was, however, warm to training the Afghan army. “We can open a center for training Afghan soldiers in Afghanistan. We can train one Afghan battalion in Turkey and another in Afghanistan. If Afghanistan calls for training its police officers, our police departments are ready,” Erdoğan stated. His remarks came during a question and answer session with Turkish journalists on Sunday during his flight to the US.
US President Obama announced on Dec. 1 a decision to send 30,000 more troops to Afghanistan, marking an attempt to turn the tide in the eight-year war and regain the initiative from the Taliban, which has gained strength over the past year.
NATO member Turkey is a supporter of the US-led campaign in Afghanistan but Turkish leaders said Ankara would not be sending soldiers for combat purposes, fearing that participation in combat operations could alienate Muslims in Afghanistan and in the broader Muslim world.
“We do not have an objective to participate as combat troops in Afghanistan. Our ties with the Afghan people are aimed at eliminating deficiencies in terms of logistics in Afghanistan. There is a good dialogue between the Turkish and Afghan peoples. We have made serious investments in regional development there,” Erdoğan remarked.
On Nov. 1, Turkey took over the Kabul regional command of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) for one year, increasing the number of its soldiers from around 900 to 1,750. But unlike other European members of ISAF, Turkey’s mission is limited to patrols and its troops do not take part in combat operations.
The prime minister underlined that Turkey was ready to send $50 million to Afghanistan. “They voiced a need for $40 million. We will send $50 million. We will send this sum for the establishment of education centers and similar facilities.”
President Abdullah Gül and Defense Minister Vecdi Gönül also expressed their reluctance to send combat troops to Afghanistan last week. “We do not want to be in a state of waging war. Our level of activity will rise, but we will decide how we will do it,” Gül stated.
Parliament approved a government motion requesting authorization to send troops to Afghanistan in 2001 under a coalition government of the Democratic Left Party (DSP), the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) and the Motherland Party (ANAP). The Justice and Development Party (AK Party), which came to power in 2002, sent additional troops to serve in NATO’s ISAF in the following years on the basis of the same parliamentary decision.
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