[GAsux]

The primaty reason the Turks are oppossed to war in Iraq is because they fear that larger Kurdish autonomy will only lead to more problems with their Kurdish population in the south east. It's been a problem since the end of Gulf War I.

They also face a bit of an economic dilema in that while they want to support the west and gain a solid foothold in the EU, they are suffering greatly by not being able to openly trade with Iraq which was a large source of revenue prior to the Gulf War.

In all likelyhood, like a lot of other oppossing countries have been doing, they wanted to hide thier cards until they got the assurances they desired. The Bush administration has been working the Turkish government hard lately. I'm sure there was the promise of economic compensation, as well as some promise of security with regards to the Kurdish population.

I do not doubt that the administration probably made it very clear to the Turks that war was coming regardless, and that they could either get on the gravey train and get their cut, or sit on the sidelines and hope for the best.

I don't think its so much a change of heart as it was a bargaining chip to make sure they secured the best possible deal for themselves. Virtually all of Operation Northern Watch is based out of Turkey. It's not a matter of whether or not they support U.S. troops in the region.