Salih Says 70,000 Kurds Will Fight Alongside U.S. Troops

AP ^ | 3/14/03 | Barry Schweid

[Jean S]

WASHINGTON (AP) - A Kurdish leader predicted Friday the quick collapse of Iraqi President Saddam Hussein's government if war comes. He said 70,000 Kurds were prepared to fight alongside U.S. troops.

Barhim Salih, prime minister of the Kurdistan regional government, said the Iraqi army and even some of Saddam's Republican Guard would quit in what he predicted would be a short war.

Salih told reporters at the Council on Foreign Relations, a private research group, that Saddam had booby-trapped Iraqi oil fields in Kirkuk and probably elsewhere and would have them blown up as he sought refuge outside the country.

"We have to expect the worst of him," Salih said.

"The war will be relatively short," the Kurdish leader said. "The bulk of the Iraqi army and much of the guard will not fight."

In Washington for talks with Bush administration officials, Salih said he hoped to discourage any U.S. invitation to Turkey to send troops into northern Iraq, which has a heavy Kurdish population.

If Turkey should intervene, so will Iran, Salih said, "opening a Pandora's Box" that would harm prospects for a transition to an independent, democratic government in Baghdad.

The Bush administration has asked Turkey to let U.S. troops to launch an invasion of northern Iraq from Turkish territory. The Turkish government approved the recommendation, but its parliament rejected the request.

In the meantime, U.S. and Turkish officials discussed this week the U.S. use of Turkish airspace for attacks on Iraq.

Asked about Salih's opposition to stationing Turkish troops in northern Iraq, State Department spokesman Richard Boucher said: "We understand their point of view. ... We've been in close touch with Turkish authorities about the situation."

Boucher said the Bush administration had made it "very, very clear we remain strongly opposed to any unilateral action by any party in northern Iraq, and that's a position the Turks understand clearly, as well."

AP-ES-03-14-03 1749EST

[Az Joe]

If I was an Iraqui soldier now I'd be looking for the closest American to surrender to. Would not want to be caught by the Kurds.

[DoughtyOne]

[ohioWfan]

Good point. :o)

[prairiebreeze]

The Kurds could make this real messy. Or the Turks. Franks better have a good handle on that northern part.

Prairie

[RightWhale]

Right. There are probably a load of scores to settle. Keeping the peace in the northern region will be tougher than in Afghanistan for a while.

[JmyBryan]

I bet these Kurds are very fond of the anti-war movement.

(sarcasm)

[k2blader]

Bump.

[a_Turk]

>> If Turkey should intervene, so will Iran, Salih said, "opening a Pandora's Box" that would harm prospects for a transition to an independent, democratic government in Baghdad.

That's a "box of whoop-ass" Abdul (not you Jean).. Are you the expert on Democracy now? Let's see you produce the PKK hiding in your hills..

Tell your militia not to fight us, Abdul, we don't want to have to hurt non-terrorists.

[Libertarianize the GOP]

http://www.freerepublic.com/perl/bump-list

[tracer]

Just arm the Kurds, leave the area, and wait for the buzzards to finish burping and picking their teeth. Iraqis sorta taste like chicken, because that is what they are.....

[eleni121]

Hey Turkey - your time is up - You cannot hide behind the "secular" veil any more.

The Kurds are here to haunt your worst dreams. America now realizes Wat scum Turks are.

[a_Turk]

Yes, and I am sooo scared.. Can I sleep with you tonite?

[Nevermore]

IMHO, we need the Kurds a lot more than we need the Turks, to attain a quick and politically successful return to peace in Iraq. I am very suspicious that the Turks, given too much of a free hand, would take the opportunity to obliterate Kurds, thus making a (bad) joke out of our liberation. That may not be fair to the Turks, but I know they don't get along with the Kurds. If Kurds are willing, in fact, to fight along side the Allies, and we use them within their homeland area, I do believe they will be a stabilizing force. If we turn our backs on the Kurds and allow the Turks inside, I can't imagine it would be a pretty thing.

[eleni121]

Not typical of turkish behavior - to ask to sleep with a non Turk (thank you Jesus) woman. They usually rape them instead!

[FBD]

Celebrity Liberal Blacklist HERE. Find out whose movies and music to avoid, and also, who is on our side!

[a_Turk]

I never raped anyone.. Have you ever been raped by a Turk? If so, I'm very sorry.

[Jorge]

"The war will be relatively short," the Kurdish leader said. "The bulk of the Iraqi army and much of the guard will not fight."

I'm betting the Iraqi army learned their lesson from Desert Storm...and the Kurdish leader is more than right.

[deport]

The beat goes on......

[JSteff]

I don't necessarily think the turks are scum, but they have been screwing around with this for way too long. I am surprised they did not come in on our side much quicker. They have been great allies for years and VERY important in NATO.

That said, their country did not put up, so now it is time to back out gracefully. As long as the kurds do not try anything IN Turkey, they should be allowed to do as they wish in Iraq. The additional armed assistance could definitely do much to tie up the Iraqi's attention.

Especially since they are so close to the oil fields in northern Iraq. I really do not care who we buy oil from.