Are Two of Three US Anti-Iraq Warfronts Buckling? [DEBKA]

DebkaFILES ^ | 01/18/2003 | DEBKA

[ApesForEvolution]

How much of all this is true; who knows. I do know that the Turks and Jordanians are opting out of critical joint excercises and that eventually, I would think that Jordan will be mashed between events in Western Iraq and what Israel will have to do. Poor Jordan, dumber than a doorknob and bound to fall into this Iraqi ash heap. Turkey isn't stupid enough to try and take Northern Iraq for themselves..are they?

[ApesForEvolution]

You're right. Jordan has just offered itself up as the new "Palestinian State" and the Saudis won't get the 'Pakistani Plea Agreement' without getting clearly on board. Wow, this is going to be extremely...interesting to say the least?

[okie01]

"I wonder if the Turks will end up entering northern Iraq anyway, but after Baghdad falls, in order to prevent the formation of a Kurdish state on their southern border."

The Turks are already there. Unofficially, of course. And in considerable numbers.

[Lobster 6]

Those not with us are against us. We need to demostrate our willingness to punish those against us. I like the idea of an independent Kurdish State - a reward to the Turks for their loyalty. We can spend the $10B on the Kurds. Even better, I'm sure the mullahs in Teheran would appreciate an independent Kurdistan. Poor Jordan, no oil, no real identity, a piece of fiction created from the wreckage of WWI. One would think them more clever - at least enough to preserve their little sliver of paradise. A few air corridors, perhaps ground transit rights, a few acres of sand for a base or two. Not much to ask, not really a sacrifice. Not like asking them to fight. More like asking them to stand aside. We could go on - there are a number of interesting options available. If you are not with us, you are against us.

[marron]

I like the idea of an independent Kurdish State - a reward to the Turks for their loyalty.

I do too. Really, to prevent one would take some real diplomatic sleight-of-hand, and a fictional "autonomy" that would fool no one. If the Turks aren't with us, then the fiction becomes unnecessary.

I propose our Turkish bases be relocated to Kirkuk and Mosul. And our German bases relocated to Baghdad and Basra.

[ApesForEvolution]

"I propose our Turkish bases be relocated to Kirkuk and Mosul. And our German bases relocated to Baghdad and Basra."

The ME players all are realizing how irrelevant they will become when our ME base of operation is Iraq. And, the sponsors of terrorism, i.e., the Saudis, Syrians, Iranians...we're right in the middle of them all, within easy striking range of Ashcanistan, Pakistan, the Southern Persian Gulb and North Africa. Boy, Saddam sure is dumb...

[ApesForEvolution]

gulb=gulf

[Lobster 6]

Agreed

[Lobster 6]

Agreed. I wonder if DEBKA is correct or spoofing. The real threat is Islamist expansion.