Bush traveled to Ankara, Turkey, on Saturday for advance meetings with Turkish leaders.

CNN: Bush, NATO focus on Iraq

Rather than get angry at Turkey, the Bush administration argued that its senior officials had played the diplomatic game poorly.

CENTERFORSECURITYPOLICY: How Turkey was lost

In his meeting with Erdogan, Bush also reiterated his backing for Turkey's European Union membership bid and said the country was a model for Muslim democracy.

CNN: Bush, NATO focus on Iraq

The Americans seemed to be asking Turkey to help with a war George Bush had not yet publicly declared he would wage, while much of the rest of the world was still scrambling to find a peaceful way out.

ECONOMIST: Turkey's promises were always too hard to keep

Finally, the Bush administration denied the inherent hostility of the Islamist government in Turkey.

CENTERFORSECURITYPOLICY: Exploiting the crisis

Turkey is a U.S. ally, and the Bush administration is really hoping they stay out of northern Iraq.

NPR: Turkey Rattles Sabers at Kurdish Iraq

Mr Bush has also been in touch with, among others, leaders in Canada, Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Denmark, which holds the rotating presidency of the European Union.

ECONOMIST: A difficult struggle of uncertain duration | The