Page 29 - AAA 24 JULY 2015
P. 29
U.S. NEWS A3
Friday 24 July 2015
Turkey allows US to use key air
base to strike the Islamic State
JOSH LEDERMAN “Turkey is a critical partner A U.S. Air Force plane takes off from the Incirlik airbase, in southern Turkey. Turkey has agreed to
Associated Press in degrading and defeat- let the U.S. military use the key air base near the border with Syria to launch airstrikes against the
WASHINGTON (AP) — Tur- ing ISIL, and we appreciate Islamic State, senior Obama administration officials said July 23, 2015, giving a boost to the U.S.-
key has agreed to let the essential support Tur- led coalition amid a surge of violence in Turkey blamed on IS-linked militants.
the U.S. military launch air- key provides to the interna-
strikes against the Islamic tional coalition across the (AP Photo/Vadim Ghirda, File)
State from a key air base many lines of effort,” said
near the Syrian border, se- Alistair Baskey, a spokes- is on higher alert follow- militants fired from Syrian week, a suicide bombing
nior U.S. officials said Thurs- man for the White House’s ing a series of deadly at- territory at a Turkish mili- that Turkey blamed on IS
day, giving a boost to the National Security Council, tacks and unsettling signs tary outpost. Turkish retali- militants killed 32 people in
U.S.-led coalition while using an alternative acro- of increased IS activity in ated, killing at least one IS southeastern Turkey, near
drawing Turkey deeper nym for the militant group. Turkey. On Thursday, IS militant. And earlier in the the Syrian border.q
into the conflict. Incirlik Air Base, located
President Barack Obama across the border from the
and Turkish President Re- Syrian city of Aleppo, is a
cep Tayyip Erdogan final- joint U.S.-Turkish installa-
ized the deal in a phone tion that houses the U.S. Air
call Wednesday, officials Force’s 39th Air Base Wing.
said, following months Its proximity to IS-controlled
of U.S. appeals and deli- territory in Syria — includ-
cate negotiations over ing Raqqa, the group’s de
the use of Incirlik and other facto capital — makes it an
bases in Turkey. Frustrat- attractive launching pad
ed by Obama’s focus on for U.S. airstrikes against
fighting IS instead of Syrian the militant group. Turkey
President Bashar Assad, shares a 1,250-kilometer
Turkey’s government had (775-mile) border with Syria
resisted the move, but in and with Iraq, where IS also
recent days a surge in Is- controls broad swaths of
lamic State activity in Tur- territory.
key has brought concerns Turkey, a NATO ally and
about the militant group to onetime close U.S. partner,
the forefront. has resisted getting em-
American officials said ac- broiled too deeply in the
cess to the base in south- U.S.-led fight against IS. The
ern Turkey, not far from move to allow Turkish soil to
IS strongholds across the be used to launch U.S. air-
border in Syria, would al- strikes appeared to mark
low the U.S. to move more a significant shift in ap-
swiftly and nimbly against proach.
IS targets. If the agreement Although Turkey is part of
holds, the U.S.-led coalition the U.S.-led coalition, it has
will be positioned to con- limited its role out of con-
duct better surveillance cern that Washington’s
over Syria and act quicker overall strategy for Syria is
on intelligence than when flawed. To Turkey’s dismay,
it was limited to launch- Obama has prioritized
ing flights from placed like fighting IS over opposing
Iraq, Jordan and the Gulf Assad in Syria’s civil war.
states. For months, as the U.S. re-
Under the deal, the U.S. quested consent to strike
military will be allowed to from Incirlik, Turkey held off,
launch manned and un- while continuing to press
manned flights from Incirlik; Obama to broaden his
in the past, only unmanned mission.
drone flights were allowed. It was unclear whether
Turkey has yet to pub- Turkey had extracted a
licly confirm the agree- commitment from the U.S.
ment, which U.S. officials to take on Assad more
discussed on condition of aggressively in exchange
anonymity because they for using Incirlik. But in an
weren’t authorized to apparent nod to Turkey’s
comment publicly. Citing priorities, the White House
operational security, the said Obama and Erdo-
White House declined to gan had also decided to
confirm the agreement, deepen cooperation on
but noted that Obama “our work to bring about a
and Erdogan had agreed political settlement to the
to “deepen our coop- conflict in Syria.”
eration” against IS in their Turkey’s shift on Incir-
phone call Wednesday. lik came as the country
