US grants Turkey 8.5 bln dollar loan to aid economy after Iraq war

[NNN0LHI]

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/afp/2003...

DUBAI (AFP) - The United States granted Turkey a loan of up to 8.5 billion dollars to help Ankara's economic reform program and soften the blow struck to its battered economy by the war in neighboring Iraq.

Announcing the loan on the sidelines of the IMF meeting in Dubai, US Treasury Secretary John Snow said Turkey must in return cooperate with the United States in Iraq.

But he insisted that the deal was in no way linked to possible Turkish military involvement in the country's reconstruction.

Washington has been pressing hard on Ankara to send troops to aid rebuilding the increasingly lawless Iraq, but the government of Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has refrained from taking a decision due to strong objections at home.

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[Emboldened Chimp]

1. So, is this part of th e $87 billion?

Or is this in addition to?

[Barrett808]

2. Look at these guys

US Treasury Secretary John Snow (L) and Turkish state minister in charge of economy, Ali Babacan, shake hands after a signing ceremony during the International Monetary Fund (news - web sites) (IMF) conference.(AFP/Patrick Baz) (http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story2&u=/030922/... )

(on edit: added link, centered)

[fob]

7. $8.5 billion makes a smart looking crease in the left breast of

Mr Babacan's suit, doesn't it?

Are you sure that's John Snow? It looks an awful alot like the undertaker from Phantasm!

[Journeyman]

3. Well, looks like Kennedy missed it by one day. . .

and rather than a "bribe," or an "incentive," BushCo's characterized it as a "loan" . . . so Orwellian, don't you know, but since "Turkey must in return cooperate with the United States in Iraq," it accomplishes exactly what Kennedy said it would.

[tabasco]

4. The Repugs Railed On Clinton For Lending $$$ To Mexico

This is ok, though.

[Barrett808]

5. Well, remember, "everything changed" after 9/11

Or so they'd like us to think.

[candy331]

8. Yup

seems like Kennedy was right? I wish it was that easy for some of the 9 million or so workers here to borrow money to start businesses to help themselves and can hire some of the other out of workers.

[Beetwasher]

6. That's no BRIBE

That's an err, uhh, hmmm, well that's an INCENTIVE! Yeah, that's the ticket!

[htuttle]

9. Hey, it's no problem handing out $8+ billion

We'll just print more.

There's no way we can be broke yet -- we still have currency stock and ink left to use!