Turkey Stands Forward

摘要

In the third month of Operation Enduring Freedom, some Hollywood stars decided they wanted to do their part in the war effort. George Clooney, Matt Damon, Andy Garcia, Brad Pitt, and Julia Roberts let it be known that they were interested in visiting a US overseas military base involved in the war on terrorism. The Pentagon agreed but did not direct them to Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, or Diego Garcia. Instead, they flew on a 757 chartered by Warner Bros, to a large Air Force installation on the dividing line between Europe and the Mideast―Incirlik Air Base in Turkey. It was an entirely appropriate choice. For one thing, the trip reflected the importance of Incirlik and Turkey to the battles in Afghanistan. From Sept. 11 onward, Ankara had been staunchly in the US corner, offering Washington everything from overflight rights and moral support to special units trained for anti -terror operations and large numbers of troops for peacekeeping forces.