Posted on 11/11/2004 3:43:19 PM PST by datura
| FOCUS ON TURKEY |
Turkey warns U.S. it plans to invade northern Iraq shortly after elections
ANKARA — Turkey's military has begun preparing for what officials warned could result in a major invasion of neighboring Iraq.
Officials said the Turkish General Staff has drafted plans for an invasion by at least 20,000 troops into northern Iraq in early 2005. They said the General Staff has urged approval from the government of Prime Minister Recep Erdogan and discussed the proposed invasion with the United States.
"The current phase is to show the United States that we're serious," a Turkish government source said. "After the Iraqi elections in January, the Turkish military will be ready to move."
The military has called for a massive operation in northern Iraq to prevent Kurdish militias from controlling the area. The General Staff has been particularly alarmed by the reported Kurdish effort to drive out ethnic Turks from Kirkuk, the oil capital of northern Iraq and long claimed by Ankara.
Under the Turkish plan, the military would deploy at least 20,000 Turkish troops in an enclave south of the Iraqi-Turkish border. The force would focus on eliminating the Kurdish Workers Party and ensure the return of Turkmens to Kirkuk.
About 3,000 PKK fighters are said to be based in northern Iraq and have been sending insurgents and weaponry for attacks inside neighboring Turkey.
The United States has refused numerous Turkish appeals to eliminate the PKK strongholds.
On Oct. 14 Erdogan and his cabinet reviewed the General Staff's plan. That meeting, attended by Chief of Staff Gen. Hilmi Ozkok and Defense Minister Vecdi Gonul, discussed the rapid deployment of up to 40,000 troops in northern Iraq.
A scaled-down version of the military plan was discussed in the national security council on Oct. 27. The officials said that over the last week some units have already been deployed along the Iraqi-Turkish border.
Officials said the General Staff has sought to prepare two army divisions to cross the Iraqi border within 18 hours of any approval of the operation.
The first goal of the ground operation, supported by fighter-jets and attack helicopters, would be to destroy PKK strongholds in the Kandil mountains in northern Iraq.
The General Staff has warned the cabinet that Ankara could no longer ignore the Kurdish threat. Officials said the military has determined that Kurds from Iran and Syria have bolstered support for the PKK.
Iranian and Syrian Kurds, they said, have participated in PKK attacks against police and military targets in southeastern Turkey over the last week.
Officials said the General Staff has sought to obtain U.S. approval for the operation in northern Iraq. But Washington has not provided implicit approval.
The Erdogan government has sought to delay any Turkish military operation until after the European Union summit on Dec. 17. The government intends to spare the EU any pretext to delay a date for accession.
Officials said the Peshmerga are digging tunnels and establishing outposts outside Dahouk, near the Turkish border.
I'd make them take me regardless of age/etc. !!!
it could unite the iraqi people like never before too
History shows that Europeans are racist toward people of color. Turks 'are' people of color. But Europe would use them to fit their agenda.
A very quick glance at some of your posts finds that I have no issues with you.
EUnuchs.
I like that term, having never encountered it before.
My point exacly, we should back the kurds for now. Once we win over the sunnis or shias, we can stab them in the back.
If the Kurds can't be parted from the Communists in their ranks, then tough titties...I believe the Kurds are much wiser than maybe you do.
Thanks.
I see Japan as a better ally than England.
I agree, but we'll see who actually uses who in the end.
It's like juggling chain saws on roller skates. It'll probably reach a point when fortress America starts looking pretty good.
De Hoop, of Nato, warned Europe about trying to become a counter-balance to the US. He said they risk a rift within Nato. Meaning the East would go with us. And the west would go with France.
without those half a trillion china would export nothing to the US. by buying dollars they keep our interest rate LOW.. which makes us borrow money and spend it on chinese goods. Its a win win scenario.
no, no no, europe is lost. Once you become a member of the EU, its difficult to break free. We should leave nato, and form coalitions of the willing, like the one in iraq. No more nato.
"Then it is America who's caught between a rock and a hard place. If we kill the PKK, the Kurds will see it as us killing Them and could turn on us."
Not necessarily. If we had a State Department worth its salt, we could facilitate binding agreements between Turkey and the Kurds to resolve this issue (the Kurds agree to stand aside while we destroy the PKK, Turkey agrees to recognize the Kurds, etc). Unfortunately, this would require a shakeup at the State Department that neither political party has had the will to initiate in a long, long time (read: purge the liberals!).
I bet, its just stupid.
I'll see your $10 and raise you $50.
And if they do, it's only because we let them.
And if we let them, well, all bets are off... :D
Damn Muhammadan nutbags anyway...
Agreed. My first thought is to fight with the kurds. The Sunni and Shia can jump in a lake.
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