Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

US, Turkey investigate Iraq incident leading to arrest of Turkish troops
AFP ^ | 7/7/2003 | N/A

Posted on 07/07/2003 3:31:34 AM PDT by a_Turk

WASHINGTON (AFP) - The United States and Turkey are to take part in a joint investigation over the US arrest of Turkish troops in northern Iraq (news - web sites), the State Department said.

"US and Turkish military and civilian representatives are undertaking an investigation into the facts of the matter," State Department spokeswoman Amanda Batt told AFP.

The Turkish news agency Anatolia reported Sunday that 11 Turkish troops arrested July 3 had now been released.

While the State Department declined to confirm the troops' release, it underlined that Washington and Ankara were "beginning a joint investigation involving US and Turkish military and civilian officials" into the incident.

"We are in close contact with our ally Turkey and we are making progress toward resolving this issue," Batt said.

The 11 Turkish soldiers were reportedly detained by US forces in northern Iraq on Friday.

According to a US administration official on Sunday, soldiers with the US 137th Airborne Brigade had detained 24 people in Sulayminah. The State Department confirmed nine as belonging to Turkey's special operations forces.

The group was detained on "suspicion of involvement in an alleged plot to harm Iraqi civilian officials in northern Iraq," the US official said.

"Others were detained and subsequently released."

All 24 had been transported to Baghdad, the official added, saying no further details as to the detainees' nationality or identity were available.

According to Turkish news reports, the soldiers were to spend the night in a guest house in the Iraqi capital.

On Monday they will be flown by helicopter back to the northern Iraqi town of Sulayminah where they were reportedly seized, the NTV television news channel said, quoting Turkish diplomatic sources.

The State Department said Sunday that US Vice President Dick Cheney (news - web sites) had talked by telephone with Turkey's Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

It was Washington's first acknowledgement that some kind of problem existed since the episode blew up Friday.

Secretary of State Colin Powell (news - web sites) had also spoken to Turkey's Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul Friday and Saturday, the State Department said.


TOPICS: Foreign Affairs; Front Page News
KEYWORDS: irak; northernfront; turkey; turkeytroops; usa

1 posted on 07/07/2003 3:31:34 AM PDT by a_Turk
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: Shermy; aristotleman; prairiebreeze; Dog Gone; alethia; AM2000; ARCADIA; ...
ping.
2 posted on 07/07/2003 3:32:05 AM PDT by a_Turk (Lookout, lookout, the candy man..)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: a_Turk
I sure would like to know more about what caused this.
3 posted on 07/07/2003 5:23:14 AM PDT by Dog Gone
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: a_Turk
10 to 1 we (the US) say it was based on faulty information, an over-reaction, and press how important Turkey (and their 1500) peacekeepers are to the mission.

We'll never know what was said behind the scenes.
4 posted on 07/07/2003 7:11:46 AM PDT by optimistically_conservative
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: a_Turk
Probably some idiot Major getting old and worried about his career hoping to get his name mentioned in dispatches.
5 posted on 07/07/2003 8:36:20 AM PDT by Mortimer Snavely (Is anyone else tired of reading these tag lines?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: optimistically_conservative
There's going to be a joint inquiry and we're pressing for accountability. There won't be any favors of face saving, seems to me. Can't wait to see what happens next.
6 posted on 07/07/2003 10:15:53 AM PDT by a_Turk (Lookout, lookout, the candy man..)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: Dog Gone; optimistically_conservative; Mortimer Snavely
>> I sure would like to know more about what caused this.

The bureau in Suleymaniye had come too close to capturing the PKK leadership..

According to Turkish intelligence information, the US is using the PKK to keep tabs on Iran. The PKK in turn is only too eager to cozy up with the USA and is even hitting Iranian outposts along the border. The Turkish National Security Council discussed the recent US-PKK meetings which had previously been interpreted as a US efort to disarm the PKK.

The US leadership seems to think that a PKK which no longer attacks Turkey may be forgiven. Turkey has been pressed by the US to pass amnesty laws for the PKK.

The Turkish military has changed all encryption keys after the US looted the Bureau. Plenty of intelligence regarding the terror organization PKK and Turkish operatives who had infiltrated it is now in US (and thus PKK) hands.

The Turkish military has changed the non-resistance order it had in effect vs the US military. Sadly, US personnel won't be welcome to any more coffee or tea visits.

At the farewell meeting of the outgoing US ambassador Pearsson our top General said: "There may have been intelligence, there may have been problems, but I wished that this wouldn't have been handled this way.."

In other words, don't be insulted when we bag your guys at your next meeting with these PKK terrorists...
7 posted on 07/07/2003 9:24:30 PM PDT by a_Turk (Lookout, lookout, the candy man..)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: a_Turk
In other words, the Turks IN IRAQ were planning on capturing and exfiltrating PKK members FROM IRAQ without US knowledge or cooperation.

Nope, that's not undermining us.

But really, the Turks have their agenda against Kurdish terrorists and we have ours. They just don't happen to align themselves during a time when alliances are strained. What's the problem?
8 posted on 07/07/2003 9:34:43 PM PDT by optimistically_conservative (Can't prove a negative? You're not stupid. Prove it!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies]

To: optimistically_conservative
"What's the problem?"

The same sort of problem that would happen if Turkey decided to protect al-Quaeda for the same sort of reasons the USA protects the PKK.

This is insanely screwed up.

9 posted on 07/08/2003 12:23:53 AM PDT by Mortimer Snavely (Is anyone else tired of reading these tag lines?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 8 | View Replies]

To: a_Turk
The Turkish military has changed the non-resistance order it had in effect vs the US military.

What does that mean? Turkey would be wise not to start shooting US troops.

10 posted on 07/08/2003 5:11:59 AM PDT by Dog Gone
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies]

To: Dog Gone
That means the next one who points a gun at us will be shot. Preferredly in the ass.
11 posted on 07/08/2003 5:30:19 AM PDT by a_Turk (Lookout, lookout, the candy man..)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 10 | View Replies]

To: Dog Gone; optimistically_conservative; Mortimer Snavely
The Joint Turkish/ American commission which was to investigate this outrage has postponed its first meeting until after Nato supreme commander James Jones' rush visit to Ankara today.
12 posted on 07/08/2003 5:32:53 AM PDT by a_Turk (Lookout, lookout, the candy man..)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 8 | View Replies]

To: a_Turk
Then I think it would be better to politely ask the Turkish troops to leave the country. US troops are in enough danger without having to worry about non-coalition foreign troops with their own agenda.
13 posted on 07/08/2003 5:39:51 AM PDT by Dog Gone
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 11 | View Replies]

To: Dog Gone
>> better to politely ask

You're right, polite is always better. You'll be ignored, though, whatever face you put on.

Who cares, I was keeping you up to date. Not trying to philosophise.
14 posted on 07/08/2003 5:57:59 AM PDT by a_Turk (Lookout, lookout, the candy man..)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 13 | View Replies]

To: a_Turk
I appreciate what you're doing. And I think Turkey and the US need to get on the same page regarding Iraq. We don't need any clashes, and we don't need to be undermining each other in establishing stability and a new country that threatens no one.
15 posted on 07/08/2003 7:28:59 AM PDT by Dog Gone
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 14 | View Replies]

To: a_Turk
Here's something I got via e-mail:

Intelligence Shows Soldiers' Detention Linked to US Policy on KADEK

------------------------------------------------------

Istanbul CNN TURK Television in Turkish 1400 GMT 06 Jul 03

In their assessments with regard to the US stand concerning the Turkish military presence in Al-Sulaymaniyah, the Turkish intelligence units give prominence to the PKK-KADEK [Workers Party of Kurdistan-Freedom and Democracy Congress of Kurdistan] connection. Analyses conducted in Ankara establish a link between the detention of the Turkish soldiers in the hands of US soldiers in north Iraq and the attack perpetrated against Cemil Bayik, one of the administrators of the organization who met with the Americans some time ago. It is noted, therefore, that there is a link between the Al-Sulaymaniyah raid and the KADEK policy of the United States. A report by Kemal Yurteri follows:

The intelligence units are continuing to conduct assessments with regard to the US stand on the Turkish military presence in north Iraq.

This stand against the 11 members of the Turkish Armed Forces, who were surrounded by armed US soldiers at the building they have been using in Al-Sulaymaniyah for a long time and subsequently detained, is being analyzed in detail by intelligence circles. In their assessments, the intelligence units are establishing a link between the raid against the Turkish military presence and the attack perpetrated against PKK-KADEK administrator Cemil Bayik.

The chain of events that led Ankara to come to this conclusion developed as follows: Bayik, who met with the Americans in north Iraq on 3 June, was attacked on 14 June. During this attack, Bayik was wounded and five of his men were killed. The assailants fled. After the attack, the organization issued internal instructions and asked that Turkey be held responsible for the incident. Bayik is prominent among a few names who are conducting the organization's liaison with US officials in north Iraq. According to an intelligence report, together with Murat Karayilan and Osman Ocalan, Bayik conducted three separate meetings with the Americans in north Iraq, namely in Mosul's Opravil Hotel, in the Dalokaka camp belonging to the organization, and in the Halis township. The Americans picked Bayik as their point of contact in the organization. After these contacts, the organization evacuated two camps and showed that it is complying with US policy. While these developments were taking place, the US soldiers targeted Turkish military presence, and the day the attack on Bayik was heard, US soldiers raided the Turkish building in Al-Sulaymaniyah.

An agreement concluded by the organization with the Americans in mid-June gains special significance in these assessments. According to this accord, KADEK, which is effective in Iranian territory, agreed to supply the US army with information regarding the activities of the Iranian army.

When all these events are taken into consideration, the analysis that the US military initiative against the Turkish military presence in north Iraq is related to the US policy on KADEK emerges to the surface.

16 posted on 07/08/2003 7:57:49 AM PDT by Mortimer Snavely (Is anyone else tired of reading these tag lines?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 12 | View Replies]

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson