The Road to Baghdad

One of the Bush administration's leading hawks, Paul Wolfowitz, has gone to London and Ankara in an effort to cajole our European allies to include Turkey in the EU and solidify support from Turkey itself on the upcoming war with Iraq. Part of the administration's plan to integrate Turkey is also to resolve the hostility between Greeks and Turks on Cyprus with the creation of a loose confederation of Greeks and Turks on the island and a reduction of Turkish-controlled territory. According to the Weekly Standard, "The road to Baghdad no longer goes through Jerusalem. It goes through Cyprus."

As the New York Times suggests, however, Wolfowitz may be facing an uphill battle with regard to Turkey's admission into the EU. The former French president, Valery Giscard d'Estaing, for example, is leading an effort to draft a European constitution without Turkey. Reflecting a common sentiment, Giscard d'Estaing has said in an interview that admitting Turkey into the EU would mean the end of Europe.

However Cyprus is resolved and whatever Turkey's ultimate status in Europe, the administration's military plans are clearly moving forward. Saddam's days are numbered.