NATO approves plans to defend Turkey

Days after ending a crisis over planning for an Iraq war, NATO on Wednesday approved the deployment of AWACs aircraft, Patriot missile systems and chemical-biological response units to Turkey.  

The decision was made by the same Defense Planning Committee — which excludes France — convened last Sunday to approve the start of military planning to defend Turkey, which neighbours Iraq. "Alliance solidarity has prevailed," said U.S. Ambassador Nicholas Burns.  

"By taking this step, NATO has lived up to its core responsibility ... to respond to an ally in a time of threat," he added, according to AP. (Albawaba.com)