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.
Here is the letter that should come from the President.
I am sorry to inform you that American troops man the border between Iraq and Turkey...Turkish troops will need to take an alternative route.
You may call the 4th Infantry Division for technical support.
W.
Who bright idea was it to telegraph our move on Fallugah? I think they should be shipped state side and get some new blood in there. Hopefully, one with more military know how than his predecessor.
Do you remember who signed permanent MFN for the Communist red chinese - and when?
If the Turks want to polish off the Syrians, then maybe we have reason to talk...
However, the Turks are jollied up for entering the EU of Muhammadan States, so just continue to mark them as the enemy...
Daddy Bush? Wasn't Clinton against it?
He gave everything we had to the Chinese. They used to laugh at him and the Whitehouse. They said, all it took to sleep in the Lincoln bedroom was a token. Meaning they bought Clintoon all the time. What pure shame I have with that part of my deluded life.
:-P
More than a year ago the press reported that Turkey’s foreign minister, Yasar Yakis, said that indeed Turkey had looked at the possibility that Turkey had a claim to Iraqi oil fields. Mr. Yakis reported that no such claims could be found, however.
google "Yasar Yakis" kirkuk
and take your pick of news items.
Are there recent news items reporting that Turkey now feels it has claims to the oil?
This might explain the frequent fight jet incursions into Greek airspace.
These have been going on for years however, the reports off the Greek Sat. Channels state the amount has increased.
Since both fly American fighters, could turkey be using then as sparing practice for american fighters?
It would seem INCREDIBLY stupid or just a move for turkey to try and control the oil fields. (particularly after Russia, Bulgaria, and Greece agreed to build an oil pipeline which bypasses unstable turkey.)
Who knows, this could all just end up as puffery to demand more US aid since turkey's EU bid is going to be much much much slower and tougher.
They are a muslim nation.
Our alliance with Iraq will require us to defend them, from invasion... surely the turks know this.
We may not be at war with Islam... but it is CLEARLY at war with the West. Erdogan is a fool, and a muslim.
many of eastern europe have sold their nations ecconomic sovereignty to the EU so they can have the euro.
They are prisoners.
Iraqi Oil Minister: Kirkuk Belongs to Iraq
Sunday, November 07 2004 @ 10:12 PM Central Standard Time
Iraqi Oil Minister Thamir Ghadban said that Kirkuk's future would be inside Iraq.
In Ankara for the 15th round of the Joint Economic Board Meeting between Turkey and Iraq, Ghadban spoke of latest developments to Zaman. Expressing that Kirkuk was one of the key points in Iraq, Ghadban said, "Kirkuk belongs to Iraq. It is the only way for the future and interest of both Iraq and Kirkuk." Ghadban pointed out that Kurdish, Turkmen and Arabic societies in the city had to work together to live in a peace and congruity. Remarking that Turkey was a trustful neighbor, the guest minister recorded that Turkey's access to European Union (EU) would advantage Iraq, too. Ghadban said that Turkish Petroleum Cooperation (TPAO) had applied them to make explorations and went on to say: "We have several months to prepare oil fields and legal regulations. I think that we will make a brilliant cooperation with TPAO in the future.
Anadolu Agency: 11/2/2004
ANKARA - Turkish Deputy Chief of General Staff Gen. Ilker Basbug denied on Tuesday press reports that Turkey had reached an agreement with U.S. authorities regarding Kirkuk.
Basbug, in a press briefing today in Ankara, said, ''however, we naturally discuss the future of Kirkuk with every official we meet, particularly the U.S. officials.''
Noting that Turkey wanted the energy resources in Iraq to be equally and fairly used by all Iraqi people, Basbug said that Kirkuk, which was a ground for 12 percent of Iraqi oil, had a particular importance in this context.
Drawing attention that Kirkuk's history and Turkmens in the region should also be taken into consideration, Basbug noted that this matter could not only be assessed ''as a domestic affair'' of Iraq.
Stating that ''any wrong decision might cause an internal clash or a civil war in Iraq'', Basbug stressed that it was also an assessment of U.S. officials and NATO intelligence sources.
Basbug said, ''if a civil war erupts in Iraq, it would probably affect Turkey. Therefore, Kirkuk is very important. Kirkuk should be granted special status, and it should be protected.''
-KIRKUK IS A STATE POLICY-
Referring to speculative press reports about operation plans regarding Kirkuk, Basbug said, ''it is our task to coordinate and prevent any unfavorable development regarding Kirkuk. So it is our duty to make plans against every possibility. Kirkuk is a State policy, and therefore, a decision (on this matter) is made by a common view of all institutions.''
(BRC-MS) 02.11.2004
as good as any.
My memory is failing. I thought he was against it for human rights violations or something. Guess I had that wrong.
You voted for Clinton? Uh, I'll leave that one alone.
What full scale invasion? Turkey has entered that part of Iraq for years to get at the Marxist terrorists.
The PKK is a terrorist group! We consider them terrorists and the Iraqi gov't considers them terrorists. The PKK is NOT supported by the Kurds.
Enemy of our enemy?!
Read how the PKK terrorists are allies of our enemies:
"Not In Our Name and the World Wide Terrorism Web," By Michael Tremoglie, March 19, 2003 www.frontpagemag.com/Articles/Printable.asp?ID=6722
Mr. Tremoglie documents the PKK's connections to worldwide terrorists and our own leftist groups (enemies within).
Do you know anything about our long time friendly relations with Turkey? They were among our best allies during the Cold War.
Too much power and money goes to France and Germany. The smaller states are getting screwed and they know it.
Thanks for sparing me on the Clintoon thing.
Stuffed Turkey??? Isn't Thankgiving almost here???
I realize that Turkey has a Biblical role to play against Israel at some point.
But I still think it's long past time to tell Turkey--SHAPE UP AND FLY RIGHT OR THE EASTERN/SOUTHERN 1/4TH TO 1/3 OF TURKEY WILL BE GIVEN TO THE KURDS.
Idiots.
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