Special forces and CIA agents have moved into northern Iraq via Turkey

South China Morning Post ^

[RCW2001]

Turkish troops will provide support, says government source

At least 1,000 American Central Intelligence Agency and Special Operations troops have passed through Turkey into northern Iraq in preparation for a military operation aimed at toppling the regime of President Saddam Hussein.

The Americans have moved through Turkey's southeastern border in small groups in the past month to take up positions in the strategic regions currently under Kurdish control, a Turkish government source said.

The source, who did not want to be identified, said the Americans have been joined on the ground by more than 4,000 elite Turkish troops.

"They are preparing for joint operations once the war is declared," the source said.

The elite operatives have joined a permanent Turkish force that has been stationed in northern Iraq for the decade since the first Gulf War ended.

The recent build-up has been taking place despite the need for a parliament-approved constitutional amendment permitting Turkish troops to enter foreign countries.

The Turkish parliament is due to meet on Tuesday to vote on the amendment, and is widely expected to give its approval. If it does not, another Turkish government source said, Turkey's position "will be very complicated" while Washington had already made alternative preparations for the northern front - seen as vital to acquitting a fast and decisive operation against Iraq.

But with Turkey's involvement all but secured following a parliamentary vote on Friday allowing Washington to upgrade Turkish bases and ports, Turkey's military would move to a war footing as soon as the current annual Bayram holiday ended next weekend, the government source said.

"The Turkish army will leave bases that it uses during peace time, and concentrate its forces on wartime bases like Batman," the source said.

Turkish military would also quit bases that the Americans wanted to use exclusively, he said without elaboration. The joint operations in northern Iraq would be aimed at securing the region, which is currently controlled by different Kurdish groups that enjoy de facto independence under protection of the British-American Operation Northern Watch, which patrols no-fly zones and safe havens against attack by Iraqi forces.

The joint forces, operating under American command, were preparing to secure the oil-rich region around the strategic cities of Mosul and Kirkuk.

"The Turkish army is already in control of northern Iraq so it is something of a tautology to make this parliamentary vote a condition of involvement in the war," said Professor Huseyin Bagci, of Ankara's Middle East Technical University.

"The Turkish troops will provide logistical and on-the-ground support to the United States. They know the region, it would be difficult for the US to do anything there without the Turkish army.

"Turkey will take control of Mosul and Kirkuk, and in the Kurdish areas," he said.

But he added that, despite Kurdish fears, Turkey would not take control of oil production facilities in the area.

Under the auspices of Operation Northern Watch, animosity between the Kurds and Turkey - fuelled by separatist aims that led to civil war and 30,000 deaths following the first Gulf War - has been contained. But a residual undercurrent of mistrust remains.

Hoshyar Zebari, of the Kurdistan Democratic Party, reflected that mistrust when he said last week that Kurdish groups felt "a bit uncomfortable about the mission" of Turkish troops in northern Iraq.

[canuck_conservative]

Top of the 9th inning now.

[blastdad51]

God speed to our brave men. May the Lord see them home safely.

[anobjectivist]

Hell we might just avoid a war if the CIA or delta force or something nice like that could do the dirty work.

It would be great to see in the breaking news:

Saddam assassinated, freedom at 5 o clock news.

[maranatha]

Oh, Amen, Amen to that! More time each day praying for their protection and for wisdom to the leaders and asking God to tell them things and reveal things to them they wouldn't otherwise know.

[LiteKeeper]

Do we have grid coordinates that we can give to Saddam, as well? Why is this stuff constantly published? When I was on active duty we had something called "OPSEC" - Operational Security. I retired 8 years ago, so obviously a lot has changed. We would never have published that information before - but this is a brave new world...of anti-American cowards and traitors!!!

[RCW2001]

I worry about that too and would never post one-on-one info.

This article turned up on a major news search engine...so this cat was 'long outta the box'.

Agree with what you said but eight years ago, the web wasn't as 'news' oriented as it is today.

This will be a new war with regards to instant information and reporting.

I hope our 'planners' are factoring that into their calculations...

[uncbob]

Do we have grid coordinates that we can give to Saddam, as well? Why is this stuff constantly published?

Might be a psychops against Saddam and his leaders

[ItisaReligionofPeace]

You should note that the source for this info is not U.S. govt or U.S. military, it is Turkish govt. Plus, I don't think it's a secret since a couple of weeks ago Rumsfeld alluded to the fact that we have men there.

[saxxa]

P-R-O-T-E-C-T-....M-I-L-I-T-A-R-Y-....S-E-C-R-E-C-TS-....!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[cibco]

I do believe that the forces have been there since last spring at the latest. This is just PR.

[ALOHA RONNIE]

NEVER FORGET

.."IS it SAFE?" = HILLARY on Armed Services Committee

http://www.TheAlamoFILM.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=629

NEVER FORGET

[Elenya]

Did they also publish a list with the names of the agents and their addresses? Sheesh!

[a_Turk]

We've been in there since the early nineties. Plus that's been our playground all through the cold war. Nothing new here, but the old news that a few yanks came to visit our forward positions.

So lighten up Holmes..

[GOPJ]

bump

[LiteKeeper]

I understand your point...but I referring to a far greater issue: the constant publication of troop movements and deployments. That used to be out-of-bounds. Now, the New York Times, and other leftist, anti-American-appearing rags, feel the need to stimy the war-effort by publishing all of this information.

[PhilDragoo]

The combination of CIA, special forces, and precision bombing was effective in Afghanistan.

The alliance with local forces will be efficient and effective.

Good Hunting.

[CyberAnt]

Does this mean what I think it means ...??

[Kryptonite]

I recall many reports last fall about joint US/Turkish ops in northern Iraq. This is either old news, or disinformation. Either way, it's harmless to what is actually going on today.