US To Host Iraq Conferences for Turkish Firms/ New World Media Watch

[Gloria]

Excerpts, links up now at http://www.zianet.com/insightanalytical

Tomorrow at Buzzflash.com


WORLD MEDIA WATCH FOR DECEMBER 10, 2003

1//Asia Times Online, Hong Kong--IRAQ AND VIETNAM: BATTLES OF WILL (Iraqi guerrillas are most likely aware that they will not be able to crush the US military occupation in Iraq. They do know, however, that if they continue to kill and maim US soldiers, it will only be a matter of time until the American public demands a return of the troops and applies political pressure to the administration of President George W Bush. General Abizaid admitted as much, recently warning, "The goal of the enemy is not to defeat us militarily. The goal of the enemy is to break the will of the United States of America, to make us leave.")



2//The Turkish Daily News, Turkey--US TO HOST IRAQ CONFERENCES FOR TURKISH FIRMS(The U.S. Department of Commerce will host a series of conferences in Turkey on the reconstruction of Iraq in January 2004, according to the U.S. State Department…Turkish companies are eager to get a share in the tenders for the reconstruction of Iraq after a U.S.-led war. Ziyal announced last week that Turkey was in a list of preferred countries for participation in reconstruction tenders worth $18.7 billion. The statement said the two countries would also work together to secure a pipeline transporting oil from Iraq's northern oil fields in Kirkuk to Turkey's Mediterranean outlet of Yumurtalik.)



3//Daily Yomiuri, Japan--ANALYSIS: IRAQ DISPATCH PLAN STRESSES AID (The government's basic plan on dispatching Self-Defense Forces personnel to Iraq places more importance on humanitarian aid for Iraqi nationals than support for the United States…The government apparently wanted to reduce the emphasis on SDF support for U.S. forces, which might make the dispatch a target for insurgents, and to place more emphasis on activities aimed at obtaining the understanding of local residents, analysts said.)



4//Deutsche Welle, Germany--EU TURNS BLIND EYE TO BERLIN-BEIJING NUCLEAR DEAL(On Monday, protest was growing among the Greens, the chancellor’s junior coalition partner, over Schröder’s controversial calls in Beijing for the ending of an EU arms embargo and his support for Beijing’s "One China" policy. Many Green party members believe that China’s human rights violations and its reputation as the world’s biggest buyer of foreign arms do not justify the chancellor’s lenient stance…But even as the controversy gathers pace in Germany, criticism remains muted in Brussels. The pointed silence of the EU isn’t without reason: the chancellor’s recent overtures to Beijing are considered to be routine policy within the EU.)



5//The Independent, UK--FAR-RIGHT READY TO SHAKE SWISS POLITICS WITH CABINET SEAT (The parties that have shared power for almost a half a century will decide today whether to give the millionaire figurehead of the far right, Christoph Blocher, a seat in the cabinet. If they invite him aboard, one of Europe's most xenophobic mainstream parties will double its share of power. Competitions such as the one in Zurich's daily Tagblatt - "Win SFr1,000 <£450> by forecasting the make-up of the new cabinet!" - are just one sign of the unprecedented excitement gripping this sedate nation. Pundits and politicians alike admit having little idea how these historic cabinet elections will turn out.)

[hedda_foil]

1. Let the Turkish bazaar begin!

The Iraqi people are just gonna looooove that one. Their beloved liberators won't hire their firms but they're gonna bring in the hated Turks to do the work for more. Oh suhwelll!

[Orrin_73]

2. This will benefit the Turkish construction firms very much

Turkish economy was hit very hard by the war. Were do you get the notion that Iraqis hate the Turks? There are 2.5 million Turcomans(Turks) in Iraq, about 12.5% of Iraq population.