Anger in Turkey over NATO missiles deployment near Syria border
Tue Jan 22, 2013 1:40AM GMT
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Serena Shim, Press TV, Istanbul
Anger is rising in Turkey over the deployment of NATO missiles near the border between Turkey and Syria. Several rallies have been held across the country to slam the move. Protesters say NATO’s interference in Turkey will create further tensions in an already-troubled region.
2 NATO Patriot missile batteries have arrived at Turkey’s port city of Iskunduran. The missiles-which came from Germany-- are expected to be joined shortly by 4 other NATO missile batteries coming from the U.S and the Netherlands.
Turkish people are angry at what they see as NATO’s interference in their country.
Demonstrations were held as the German ships arrived. Protestors burned the American flag and chanted slogans against what they called American Imperialism; they also called for the Yankees to go home.
Marcus Ellerman, a colonel from Germany, claimed the missiles are there to protect Turkey against alleged chemical weapons coming from Syria.
Meanwhile protestors don’t believe these comments to be true. Press TV met up some protestors outside the U.S consulate in Istanbul. The protestors in front of the consulate coincide with demonstrations at the port city of Iskendurn. These protests are some in a series of nationwide rallies against the missiles that are popping up all over Turkey.
Protestors believe the NATO missiles are a prelude to another war in an already-tense region. They say they will continue protests until the Turkish government declines to give into what they see as imperialistic demands by the West. The German Patriot missiles have been sent to the Turkish city of Kharmanmarash where they will be stationed. The U.S missiles are scheduled to be in city of Gaziantep and the ones coming from the Netherlands are to be deployed in Adana. Reports say they will be operable by the beginning of February.
The protestors outside of the U.S consulate in Turkey say there will be many more protests against the missiles, not only in Turkey but all over the region. They also say the missiles are an attempt by the U-S to spread it's hegemony on the entire Middle East.