Snookered!

Read between the lines of this story and see how the Turks have played the Bush administration like a cheap accordion.

It went like this:

1. Washington offered $8.5 billion worth of loans on "attractive terms" (those are scare-quotes, not real quotes) in exchange for Turkish "cooperation" in Iraq for one year.

2. The Turkish parliament voted to "offer" to send troops to Iraq.

3. Subsequent (and predictable) objections from the Iraqis and concommitant foot-dragging by the Turks has delayed the deployment of those troops almost certainly for the duration of the on-year "commitment".

Bottom line: the Turks got our money and we got nothing in return.

P.T. Barnum would be so proud.