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.
ROFLOL!
You cracked me up big time... 8-)
can sleep with the fishes. Its difficult to win over the arabs, too much animosity.
This ain't your first trip through FR, eh?
:)
No I think they are pretty smart. But can they turn on their own. Allbeit commie Kurds. How will you tell them apart. The Kurds and the commie Kurds?
I'll take the East anyday.
The turks probably know who they are.
I'm glad I have a nice warm and soft teddy bear to cuddle in this cold and warring world.
Well the US has an ace in the hole. The Russia Bear, the bear would dearly love to return to it's role of protecter of the Balkins. So the Turks might fine themselves facing Russian troops to the north while engaged with US troops in the south. Hard to believe Russia would allow a golden opportunity to take on the turks for control of the Balkin to slide by. And I can't imagine the US would pass up the chance to ally with Russia in a general mid east balkin war. The UK would have a hissy fit, but no way the UK can be a power broker any longer.
If Communists (terrorists) are their own, then they better rethink their allegiances. All on that side best to die.
If they are ready to purge the Communist/terrorist route, I say, by all means, make the Kurdish province of Iraq a strategically special friend in our American/Iraqi alliance to bring sanity - or neutrality - to the M.E. and Near East.
I agree in that we should stop protecting the muslims in the balkans.
That's the same thing I said on another thread a couple of days ago. I asked why would china screw America? That would be the same as killing the goose that laid the golden egg.
Let's not go there. Every time I try to point out that Russia is not our ally in the War on Terror, or why it is in our best interests for Turkey to irradicate the PKK, about a dozen Russo-philes dogpile and accuse me of being a dozen different posters. My response...Who the hell cares who anyone is on this forum? The truth is the truth, and it's our job to get to the bottom of it. Sounds like a job for FR to me, no?
Did Milosevic see the future ?
The Kurds know who is who better than anyone.
And, mark these words:
There are terrorist elements in Kurdistan (Northern Iraq), eminating from Iran, that must be dealt with over time for there to be a chance at territorial integrity and viability for Iraq...
Hehe..
I have always thought we had no business in Balkins.
LOL!
I've had more than one FReeper admit to me that they argued both sides of the same argument within hours of posts to me...
Just thought I'd ask...you seem very familiar, as do 10 other people I talk to each day.
Maybe it's 1/2zheimers? lol ;)
:D
I'm for getting out of Nato. They showed their true stripes at the beginning of Iraqi freedom. I don't trust them anymore. We'll take Eastern Europe with us.
Powell should have been replaced a long time ago. The State Department is useless with him at the helm.
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