Pacifica's Peace Watch
Thur. Feb. 20, 2003
Today's Stories:
Turkey Holds Out For More Money
Kurds in Turkey
If Turkey Says No What Is Plan B?
Weapons Manufacturers Experience Boom in Economic Slump
US to Seek Second UN Resolution
Missing Kuwaiti and Saudi Civilian and Military Personnel
Peace Activist Diane Wilson Visits Baghdad
The audio of today's show is posted at http://www.radio4all.net/
Story: Turkey Holds Out For More Money
The U.S. is awaiting word from Turkey as to whether or not
U.S. troops on several ships in the Mediterranean will be
allowed to dock at Turkish ports and eventually be housed
in bases in Turkey. U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell said
there may be some creative things we can do to gain acceptance
of a proposed U.S. aid package to Turkey. But Powell failed
to elaborate, saying only ‘our position is firm and
we expect to hear from Turkey by days end.’
With the start of the weekend in Turkey, the Turkish Parliament
has recessed without voting on whether to allow the US to
use bases in its territory during an assault on Iraq. At the
White House briefing this morning White House spokesman Ari
Fleischer had these remarks.
Tape: White House spokesmen Ari Fleischer
Within Turkey experts say that Turkey is not trying to hold
the US hostage to simply to protect itself. It is reported
that during the Persian Gulf War the US promised billions
of dollars in support to Turkey but failed to keep its promise.
Consequently, it is said, the economy of Turkey has suffered
tremendously from the influx of refugees from Iraq. PeaceWatch
spoke with Turkish political analyst Jamal Husek this week.
Tape: Turkish political analyst Jamal Husek
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Story: Kurds in Turkey
CNN is reporting that the US will attempt to convince Turkey
that allowing US troops onto Turkish soil will prevent the
Kurds in Northern Iraq from posing a threat to Turkey. PeaceWatch
spoke asked Vera Saeedpur the editor of Kurdish Life newsletter
why the Kurds in northern Iraq would pose a threat to Turkey?
Tape: Vera Saeedpur, editor of the newsletter Kurdish Life
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Story: If Turkey Says No What Is Plan B?
Retired Rear Admiral Steven Baker of the Center For Defense
Information spoke with Peacewatch earlier today about a possible
‘Plan B’ in the event Turkey rejects the administration’s
final offer. Baker suspects in the end Turkey and the U.S.
will sort out their differences and remain allies.
Tape: Retired Rear Admiral Steven Baker of the Center For
Defense Information
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Story: Weapons Manufacturers Experience Boom in Economic
Slump
While many sectors of the U.S. economy falter in these jittery
pre war times, the defense industry, not surprisingly, is
in for some rapid growth, secure in a gigantic $2.7 trillion
spending planned for the next six years. PeaceWatch correspondent
Eddie Becker recently attended the National Defense Industrial
Association’s Symposium and Exhibition in Washington,
DC where he found out just how big the military business is.
Tape:
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Story: US to Seek Second UN Resolution
The US announced today that it will draft a second UN resolution,
that is expected to declare Iraq is in “material breach”
of the disarmament resolution passed last November. PeaceWatch
spoke with UN correspondent for the Nation magazine, Ian Williams
earlier today. Tape: Ian Williams, UN correspondent for the
Nation magazine
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Story: Missing Kuwaiti and Saudi Civilian and Military
Personnel
Iraqi, Kuwaiti and Saudi officials held talks in Amman,
Jordan on the fate of hundreds of civilian and military personnel
missing since the 1990-91 Gulf War. This is the 54th meeting
between the representatives of the three governments under
the sponsorship of the International Committee of the Red
Cross. Kuwait claims 605 of its citizens are missing in Iraq,
while the latter alleges Kuwait is holding more than 1,000
Iraqis.
Tape: Oula Farawati reporting from Amman Jordan
Over the past several weeks on PeaceWatch, we’ve featured
voices of artists, poets and musicians offering creative responses
to the war with Iraq.
Tape: Three Arab women authors against the war. Thanks to
Aaran Glantz for that report
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Story: Peace Activist Diane Wilson Visits Baghdad
As the world prepared to gather for the global protests
on February 15th against the Bush administration’s plan
to attack Iraq, Diane Wilson, a forth generation shrimper
and environmental human rights activist from Seadrift, Texas
was gearing herself up for a direct action of her own. The
target: the United Nation’s building in New York City,
the site of the nation’s biggest anti-war protest this
past weekend.
Wilson recently returned from Iraq with Global Exchange
co-founder, Medea Benjamin and other Women from the women’s
peace group, Code Pink. In an interview with Jackson Allers
of Houston Pacifica affiliate, KPFT, Wilson discusses her
experience in Iraq - this as another Texan sitting in the
Whitehouse continues the military build-up in the Persian
Gulf...
Tape: Diane Wilson speaking with Jackson Allers of Houston
Pacifica affiliate, KPFT
Credits
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