Despite
comments National Security Advisor Susan Rice
made
on NBC’s “Meet the Press” on Sunday, Turkey and the US have not reached an
agreement as to whether Incirlik Air Base, or other Turkish bases, will be used
to stage US and coalition airstrikes against ISIS targets in Iraq and Syria. Turkey
has agreed to help support the training and equipping of moderate Syrian
rebels, but it is pushing for a no-fly zone targeting Bashar Assad’s military
forces and the creation of a “buffer zone” along the Turkish border before it
assents to US use of air bases in its territory,
reported
the State-run
Anadolu news agency Tuesday. “The US is being insistent on
Incirlik Air Base, although it has military bases in the Gulf countries, due to
the high cost of airstrikes,” Can Acun, from the Foundation for Political
Economic and Social Research, told the news agency. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel
praised Turkey for agreeing to host a joint US Central Command-US European
Command planning team in the country “next week” to develop a training program
for Syrian rebels, and the “responsible manner” it is handling refugees and
border security with Syria, according to an Oct. 12
readout
of the phone call between Hagel and his Turkish counterpart, Ismet Yilmaz. (See also
Turkey Moves Forces as British Strike ISIS in Syria.)