The Wilmington morning star., 1947-03-13
Today And Tomorrow
Bv WALTER LlPPMANN

the nettle firmly at the outset,
would not be the wiser.
Turkey is the key country in the
Middle East. 1t is subject TO such
pressure from the Soviet Union
that it is compelled to keep a
large army modified. 1t cannot
support that army much longer.
Yet until there has been a settle
ment OF the Soviet demands at the
Dardanelles and on the eastern
b%orderland, Turkey must maintain
sufficient military power.
The issue for us is whether fl
Hancial aid alone is the best rem
edy for this condition. To be sure
we shall have to give financial
aid. But if with the financial aid
we offered the Turkish govern
ment a military guaranty, consist
ent with Article 81 Of the Charter.
We should, I believe. have grasped
the nettle. With our guaranty the
Turkish government could afford
to demobilize a considerable part
of its army. The financial assist
ance We can give would then not
reed to be used up OF %unproduc-
tive military expenditure but
could in part be applied to
strengthening the economic life of
Turkey.
The advantages or such a move
on our part are many. It would
make clear by the most emphatic
Of all diplomatic actions that the
United States is now a primary
and not a secondary. a principal
not an auxiliary, a direct not an
indirect, power in the Middle
East. The prestige Of such . move
would do the work of many Turk
ish divisions and of many Ameri-
can dollars.
It cannot be argued. I believe.
that such an offer On our part
would increase u military com
mitments or would be contrary &c
the letter and spirit of the Charter
Of the United Nations. For if Tur-
key is attacked, we are already
committed to go to her defense.
The value Of making a specific
guaranty now is that it is likely to
prevent the Soviet government
from doing anything which looks
safe enough when begun, but
could easily be irreparable. Tc
know from the outset that they
are dealing not with a weakened
Turkey but with the United States
IS the more likely way to make
the men in the Kremlin cautious.
o., the other hand. Il the worst
happened. an alliance with Turkey
would afford us a strategic foot
hold, incomparably better thar
any other, from which to exert
power in the Middle East. The
most important defensive position
is also the most important often.
sive position. That is why, if we
are serious about the Middle East,
Our best course. it seems to me,
is to act directly at the center ir
Turkey rather than indirectly or
the weak periphery where the
British have in the course Of the
past generation receded.
The fate of the Middle Eas'
cannot be decided at the point:
where Great Britain is now in
volved-that is to say in the Arat
countries, and in Iran, and i:
Greece. Those are the rear area!
Of the Middle East which can b,
defended now, as they have beer
governed through the greater par
of history, only from Turkey, tina
principal stronghold which face;
the west on the Mediterranean
coast and Russia on the BIac}
Sea.
To do all that is necessary t,
make Turkey secure is, therefore
so it seems to me, the effective
way to meet the challange which
contronts us. 1t will be better thai
doing a lot, but not enough in
many other places.