http://www.geostrategy-direct.com/geostrategy-direct/secure/2010/10_06/do.as p
West warned Turkey could leak NATO intelligence to Iran, Syria WASHINGTON - Turkey could decide to share NATO intelligence with Iran and Syria, a leading analyst said. Herbert London, president of the Hudson Institute, said Turkey's intelligence community has become a major participant in Ankara's strategic alliance with Iran and Syria. London said Turkish intelligence, amid increasing concern by Congress, was undermining the military's relationship with NATO and other pro-Western allies. "The [U.S. President Barack] Obama team clearly does not want to jeopardize its alliance with Turkey, but it is also clear that Turkish intelligence services are working overtime to separate its military from Israel and former allies in the West," London said. In an analysis for Hudson, regarded as close to the Defense Department, London reported increasing concern over Turkey's move away from the West. He said Ankara could relay vital classified data to Iran and its proxies in the Levant. "From the U.S. perspective, a key concern is whether these moves lead to the sharing of information with our enemies, information that could undermine any action against Iran, Syria, Hamas, and Hizbullah," London said. At this point, the Hudson analysis said, the administration of President Barack Obama, has done little to stop Turkey's turn toward Iran and Syria. London pointed to White House silence over the arrest of hundreds of pro-Western military and security officers deemed intent on keeping Turkey a secular state. "Whatever the U.S. motive, it is clear that Turkey, as a NATO member, has access to a wide array of American military technology that could reveal our aims to adversaries in the Middle East," London said. "With a dramatic shift in its political orientation, and increasingly close ties to Hamas, Hizbullah, and Iran, Turkey has the potential to cause great damage to American regional interests and even forestall possible military action." The Obama administration has sought to expand Turkey's presence in the NATO stabilization mission in Afghanistan. Ankara, with the third largest air force in NATO, has deployed 230 F-16 multi-role fighters and was planning to acquire the Joint Strike Fighter from the United States. http://www.geostrategy-direct.com/geostrategy-direct/images/2010/turktroops. jpg Turkish troops patrol in Sirnak Province, near the Iraqi border, on June 21. <http://www.rferl.org/content/Turkey_Sends_Troops_To_Iraq_Border/2078390.htm l> AFP _____ Hudson said Obama has not blocked Turkish military requests from the United States. In mid-2010, however, leading members of Congress were said to have opposed advanced weapons sales to Ankara in wake of its vote against Iranian sanctions at the United Nations. "Moreover, the United States has not taken any steps to reduce or eliminate the flow of military technology or systems to Turkey," the analysis said. London said Obama's hesitancy toward Turkey has alarmed other countries in the Middle East. He did not rule out Turkey using its military to block any Western attack on Iran's nuclear weapons program. "Can the U.S. recapture its influence after displaying a lack of interest?" London asked. "Will it allow Turkey to use its strategic association with NATO to advantage Iran? Will Turkey interfere directly or indirectly to thwart any military operation against Iran's nuclear facilities? These questions are not answerable at this time, but in the answers rest the fate of the Middle East and perhaps the world." [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] ------------------------------------ -------------------------- Want to discuss this topic? 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