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.
Can you imagine a country willing to go to war to stop terrorist attacks against its citizens?
Either all bluster, or they have a death wish.
We have a pretty vital military base in Turkey.
Now that's a good point;)
Let's review the bidding: Iranian & Syrian Kurds are running ops across the Turkish border, so the Turkish General Staff proposes to do what in response? Invade Kurdish areas of Iraq? Hey, now there's some logic for ya!
MmmmmHmmmmm! I like this plan!!
LLS
Turkey's gonna get messed up real bad if they decide to move forward with this plan. It would create a mess for us, The USA, but we will deal with it. Turkey will be defeated if she chooses to fight, if at all. Turkey would be a target rich environment. Turkey would be insane to do this, but then again, they are already muslim, are they radical too? We'll see.
Yeh, very dumb. It won't happen.
Turkey has ten million military capable males available for service. This could be a real mess. Turkey has a pretty proud military tradition. Some pretty tough guys. They spend 5.3% of GDP on military affairs. They are there, we are here.
Why can't Islam be like the Catholics and realize it is religion and not a way of life. Believe but don't screw up the world doing it.
Sounds like the Turks are trying to pretend they are Europeans in order to ingratiate themselves to the people who employ most of their excess laborers. I totally favor a greater Kurd nation. So far the Kurds seem far better than any of the pissant nations who are trying to suppress them, including the perfidious Turks who are, as usual, trying to save their musty butts. .
I call BS. Someone call the EU.
Ping me in too or two or to (pick one)
Ahem.....
Recent stories out of Europe have indicated an awakening sense that letting Turkey into the E.U. would be a bad idea.
It's amusing that the U.S. has long pressed the E.U. to accept Turkey.
I don't know. Turkey was making noise about this at the start of the war. They have been thinking about it for a long time. We need some serious talks with them to try and prevent this from happening. It is to their advantage to see the country on a stable footing If they can't see this then it is just a land grab under the excuse of protecting their citizens. I hope that cooler heads in Turkey will prevail.
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