IZMIR
NATO Allied Land Commander Lt. General Frederick Ben Hodges, also commander of Allied Land Command Izmir since December 1, said that the new structuring of NATO's military wing was not only a measure taken related to the budget and expenses, however, it would help the forming of a more effective command and control centre.
General Hodges stated that the decision of the deployment of the Patriot systems was an indication of NATO's effectiveness and added, "28 members of the ally made the decision to support the security of a member. No other organization can finalize a demand in such a short period of time when it is not even an attack but just a potential threat."
Stating that Turkey has always made great contributions to the ally, General Hodges said, "Turkish military is incredible. Everyone trusts them and they are very disciplined. In all of the NATO duties I was assigned, I always preferred Turkish officers with me. Turkish people should really be proud" referring to Turkey's contribution as part of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan.
