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Turkey Moves 1,000 Soldiers Into N. Iraq
AP
| 3/21/03
| SUZAN FRASER
Posted on 03/21/2003 3:34:49 PM PST by kattracks
Turkey Moves 1,000 Soldiers Into N. Iraq By SUZAN FRASER .c The Associated Press
ANKARA, Turkey (AP) - Turkey moved 1,000 soldiers into northern Iraq on Friday to beef up its forces there, a Turkish military official said. Turkey already maintains several thousand soldiers backed by a few dozen tanks in northern Iraq to chase Turkish Kurdish guerrillas. Turkey is also shifting some 5,000 soldiers to the border region, the military official said, speaking on customary condition of anonymity.
The Turkish foreign minister said Friday his nation was determined to send its troops over the border into northern Iraq to contain a possible refugee flow and prevent any attempt by Iraqi Kurds to break away from Iraq.
Abdullah Gul's remarks came despite strong opposition in Washington to any unilateral move by Turkey into northern Iraq. U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell said Friday: ``We don't see any need for any Turkish incursions into northern Iraq.''
But ``Turkish soldiers will go in,'' Gul told reporters on his return from a trip from Brussels.
Gul's statement came after Turkey agreed Friday to allow U.S. overflights for a war with Iraq, reversing an earlier decision to block Turkey's airspace because of a disagreement with the United States over a Turkish troop deployment.
Washington has warned that a Turkish incursion could lead to friendly fire incidents with U.S. forces. Iraqi Kurdish groups say the move could lead to clashes.
In Washington, a senior U.S. official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Turkey opened its airspace without any conditions attached, adding that the U.S. administration continued to discuss the issue of Turkish troops separately.
Turkey's Defense Minister Vecdi Gonul also said Turkish and U.S. officials would continue negotiations.
Turkey has frequently sent soldiers into northern Iraq to chase Kurdish rebels belonging to the Kurdistan Workers Party, or PKK, which fought a 15-year battle for autonomy from Turkey.
Gul said Turkey wanted to prevent Iraq's breakup and to contain a possible refugee flow within Iraq's borders.
``Turkey's Iraq policy is ... Iraq's territorial integrity, that Iraq's resources are shared by the whole population ... that a refugee flow is contained within Iraq,'' Gul said.
``Turkey has no designs whatsoever on Iraq's territory. Turkey will take measures in line with these aims,'' he said.
Turkey fears that Iraq could fragment during a war, leading Iraqi Kurds to declare independence, which could encourage Turkish Kurdish rebels.
Turkey's parliament voted Thursday to allow the United States to use the airspace, a measure that would allow strike aircraft on carriers in the Mediterranean to fly more directly into Iraq.
The resolution passed by parliament would also allow Turkey to move its own forces into northern Iraq.
TOPICS: Breaking News; Foreign Affairs; News/Current Events; War on Terror
KEYWORDS: turkeytroops; warlist
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To: Itzlzha
>> You BASTARDS Played this
LOL! What's the old way of dealing with hysteria? Get a grip.. Our politicians don't have the discipline to execute such a plan.
61
posted on
03/21/2003 4:26:34 PM PST
by
a_Turk
(After all the jacks are in their boxes, and the clowns have all gone to bed..)
To: Turk2
There's obviously an exception to every rule...
62
posted on
03/21/2003 4:27:00 PM PST
by
AntiGuv
(™)
To: Maeve
At least ones that are not married to Greeks.
63
posted on
03/21/2003 4:27:06 PM PST
by
Turk2
(Dulce bellum inexpertis)
To: a_Turk
The only thing Bush encountered was that he was not willing to pay a big enough bribe to your government and its lackeys.
64
posted on
03/21/2003 4:27:52 PM PST
by
Maeve
(Siobhan's daughter and sometime banshee.)
To: Turk2
Cursed be your short hairs.
65
posted on
03/21/2003 4:28:52 PM PST
by
Maeve
(Siobhan's daughter and sometime banshee.)
To: Maeve
A war between Turks and Kurds in N Iraq would confuse matters no doubt. There are also some Iranian elements in the region. S Iraq, W Iraq, and Baghdad will probably simmer down quickly. N Iraq has had the potential to be less quiescent. It has a long, long history.
66
posted on
03/21/2003 4:29:18 PM PST
by
RightWhale
(Theorems link concepts: Proofs establish links)
To: a_Turk
What's your reading of the situation? Is Turkey determined to take territory, or simply to secure their present borders?
67
posted on
03/21/2003 4:30:03 PM PST
by
neutrino
(Oderint dum metuant: Let them hate us, so long as they fear us.)
To: Maeve
Snicker...
To: Turk2
You are lying.No. That is a Turkish game that I do not play.
69
posted on
03/21/2003 4:31:20 PM PST
by
Maeve
(Siobhan's daughter and sometime banshee.)
To: section9
I don't see what everyone is so upset about.Looks like the Turks are timing their troop movement so that they can engage the Kurds right about when our armoured columns come up to Baghdad.
Then, since the American forces will be fairly occupied, the Turks can have their way with the Kurds, despite the fact thatthe bush Administration has expressly stated for Turkey troops to stay on their side of the border.
The Turks are about to create a huge mess in what is now a smooth, well-run operation.
Thanks a lot, Gul.
70
posted on
03/21/2003 4:32:20 PM PST
by
henbane
To: RightWhale
Well, here is the problem with that. Rumsfiled said today that all parties should make no mistake, the US will assure Iraqi territorial integrity. With all due respect to A Turk, I think Turkeys motives are suspect.
71
posted on
03/21/2003 4:32:20 PM PST
by
jwalsh07
To: neutrino
Secure our borders and hunt PKK terrorists.
72
posted on
03/21/2003 4:32:28 PM PST
by
a_Turk
(After all the jacks are in their boxes, and the clowns have all gone to bed..)
To: Itzlzha
Get a grip. This was on the table with the US since day 1. The original plan was to move in with US troops, but since your 'superb' diplomacy and our politicians' incompetence prevented the deal, we have to watch out for ourselves. Especially when we have seen that after a 50 year alliance it took the US about 50 seconds to sell us out to a bunch of Kurdish smugglers.
73
posted on
03/21/2003 4:32:31 PM PST
by
Turk2
(Dulce bellum inexpertis)
To: kattracks
I really think these Turkish troups are a real wild card and I have a bad feeling about this. Not a good move at all.
74
posted on
03/21/2003 4:32:44 PM PST
by
kimchi lover
(When will the left learn that Bush is NOT the enemy?)
To: Teacher317
75
posted on
03/21/2003 4:33:33 PM PST
by
Destro
(Fight Islamic terrorisim by visiting www.johnathangaltfilms.com)
To: a_Turk
Why? Are we at war or something?Apparently not.
But it would be a shame if the Turks were mistaken for an Iraqi column.
Much safer if they just stay on their own side of the border.
To: RightWhale
Pro-Iranian elements are a serious concern, but I do not think they will want to escalate the conflict to include Iran.
77
posted on
03/21/2003 4:34:02 PM PST
by
Maeve
(Siobhan's daughter and sometime banshee.)
To: Turk2; Itzlzha
78
posted on
03/21/2003 4:34:50 PM PST
by
Destro
(Fight Islamic terrorisim by visiting www.johnathangaltfilms.com)
To: a_Turk
Secure our borders and hunt PKK terrorists. I don't suppose your nation's leaders would send a book of instructions on how to do that to us, would they? (/joke)
79
posted on
03/21/2003 4:34:52 PM PST
by
neutrino
(Oderint dum metuant: Let them hate us, so long as they fear us.)
To: kattracks
1000 men is not a major deployment. Turkey has had a garrison there for years, and another 1000 isn't going to make any difference in the post-war political situation. I would take it at face value. They are reinforcing their position.
And, in the years they have been garrisoned there, they have had no trouble from the Iraqi Kurds, at all. They are there primarily to keep an eye on the PKK, who have been remarkably quiet the last couple of years.
I don't see a problem; there doesn't have to be a problem as long as no one wants one.
80
posted on
03/21/2003 4:35:33 PM PST
by
marron
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