US Military Not Told of Turkey Bomb Plan

Associated Press ^ | Dec 18, 2007 | PAULINE JELINEK

[george76]

U.S. military commanders in Iraq didn't know Turkey was sending warplanes to bomb in northern Iraq until the planes had already crossed the border, said defense and diplomatic officials, who were angered about being left in the dark.

Americans have been providing Turkey with intelligence to go after Kurdish rebels in northern Iraq. And a "coordination center" has been set up in Ankara so Turks, Iraqis and Americans can share information, two officials said Tuesday.

But defense and diplomatic officials in Washington and Baghdad told The Associated Press that U.S. commanders in Iraq knew nothing about Sunday's attack until it was already under way.

Their comments follow complaints by Iraqi leaders Monday that Turkey hadn't coordinated with Baghdad before sending bombers to strike targets of the Kurdistan Workers' Party, or PKK.

It was left to the Americans to inform Iraqi government officials of Sunday's incursion, one U.S. official said.

No problem occurred with a conflict in the air space, but might have as both military and commercial flights go through northern Iraq, the officials said.

U.S. diplomatic officials also expressed irritation that the Turks had not provided them or the Iraqis with advance notice of the operation and said they had made their displeasure clear.

[george76]

It was unclear whether any U.S. radar or surveillance systems became aware of the first wave of planes before official notification reached Baghdad.

[tet68]

U.S. diplomatic officials.........said they had made their displeasure clear.

Awwwwww, did they stamp their widdle feet?

[Samurai_Jack]

Is’nt that a good way to have an ‘INCIDENT’?

[SunStar]

Turkey is a treatied NATO. They wouldn't act without coordinating with us, and we would have helped them. "The Kurds" may be a local ally in Iraq, but they are not a national ally like Turkey.

This denial is some sort of State Department C.Y.A maneuver.

[Rio]

I read the headline as some type of Thanksgiving Day terrorist plot.
Oops.

[Valpal1]

In before the WKRP in Cincinatti jokes.

[Mark was here]

This kinda strikes me as Turkey attacking one of our territories...

[RobinOfKingston]

All this is what happens when you try to satisfy disparate groups instead of doing the right thing.

[Calpernia]

There was some new treaty signed though in Europe. Maybe the chain of command and information flow is changing.

[rfp1234]

US Military Not told of Turkey Bomb Plan

It can be really messy, with all that stuffing and cranberry sauce flying around.

[george76]

lol

Awwwwww, did they stamp their widdle feet?

[Incorrigible]

Darn it! I was going right there when I saw the headline on Drudge and rushed back here.

And so....

As God is my witness, I thought turkey’s could fly!

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks G76.

[airborne]

"As God is my witness, I thought turkeys could fly!"

>

[Onelifetogive]

As God is my witness, I thought turkey’s could fly!

You beat me to it...

[null and void]

Turkey bomb?

As God is my witness, I thought turkeys could fly!

[BIGLOOK]

Diplomats .......? I thought they declined serving in the area. They have families and lives, you know.

All seriousness aside, don't think any in the US military cares what the Turks do to the PKK, though they might be miffed over the violation of Iraqi air space.

[george76]

A wild turkey can get off the ground, some.

[a_Turk]

Turkey communicates up the European command. The cluster running Iraq is Central command. That should explain it.