Free Republic

All 13 Turkish soldiers, including high-ranking generals, on board a Cougar military helicopter were killed when it crashed after getting caught in a high-voltage power line in the Senoba district of Turkey’s southeastern Sirnak province, the army said on Wednesday.In a statement, the army said the AS 532 Cougar had crashed shortly after taking off around 1855 GMT on Wednesday. It said emergency search and rescue teams were dispatched to the area and evaluations were underway at the crash site.Broadcaster CNN Turk said Defence Minister Fikri Isik would travel to Sirnak, while presidential sources said President Tayyip Erdogan had...

CUKURCA, Turkey (AP) -- Turkey's military said Friday it has ended a ground offensive against Kurdish rebels in Iraq, but said that foreign influence did not play a role in its decision. At least 200 trucks carrying Turkish troops were seen leaving the Iraqi border area and heading into Turkey's interior. The move came a day after Defense Secretary Robert Gates told Turkish leaders during a visit in Ankara that they should end the offensive as soon as possible. In Washington, President Bush made a similar point Thursday, saying Turkey needed to move quickly and get out. "Both the start...

ANKARA, March 3 (Xinhuanet) -- Turkey has deployed 1,357 military personnel in northern Iraq to fight against members of the outlawed Kurdish Workers' Party (PKK), said Turkish National Defense Minister Vecdi Gonul on Thursday

WASHINGTON (AP) -- In a major setback to U.S. efforts to attract military help in Iraq, a Turkish official said Tuesday his country won't send peacekeeping troops without a significant change in the situation there. That makes it virtually certain the United States will have to send thousands more U.S. reservists early next year. No additional countries have contributed forces in Iraq since the United Nations Security Council approved a new resolution last month. Bush administration officials had hoped the U.N. action would persuade reluctant allies to send more forces.Turkey had been the best hope. But Turkey's ambassador to the...

ANKARA, Turkey (AP) Turkey's Cabinet agrees to deploy troops to help stabilize Iraq, seeks authorization from Parliament.

ANKARA (Reuters) - Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan said on Thursday he wanted parliament to decide "rapidly" whether to send Turkish peacekeeping troops to Iraq (news - web sites) to help Washington maintain security there. In an apparent concession to its NATO (news - web sites) ally, the United States earlier agreed on joint action with Turkey against hundreds of Turkish Kurdish rebels holed up in northern Iraq, which could include military action. "We want a decision from the assembly rapidly on sending the troops," Erdogan told the local news channel NTV. The United States has made it clear in...

Ankara, TURKEY, September 30, 2003 - Both American and Turkish officials have confirmed that the US$8,5 billion loan is tied to a condition that Turkish troops not enter Northern Iraq. In a statement before the Cabinet Council meeting yesterday, Deputy Prime Minister Mehmet Ali Sahin has confirmed just that. “The U.S. Senate determined conditions for the credit. This is one of them,” said Sahin. Minister of Justice and government spokesman Cemil Cicek also confirmed the condition in similar terms. American officials also added their comments. A US official, who wanted to remain anonymous, said: “The condition for Turkish troops not...

"Self government for the people of Iraq," a resolute President Bush told the U.N., would be "reached by orderly and democratic process . . . neither hurried nor delayed by the wishes of other parties." That was America's answer to those who want to see us fail in rebuilding a free Iraq. Will nations that refused to help overthrow the dictator now join us to finish the job? Will Iraqis welcome such assistance to end the sabotage and sniping by Saddam's diehards? A key to both answers lies in Turkey, the only democracy bordering Iraq. The new Turkish government made...

Washington, September 23, 2003 - Amidst high level negotiations in New York at United Nations this week on whether to give more authority to international community in Iraq at the expense of US led coalition, Richard Perle, an influential Pentagon advisor said it would be a 'great mistake' to send additional troops and 'internationalize the future of Iraq'. Asked about the prospects of Turkish troops to Iraq at a conference on Turkey at conservative American Enterprise Institute (AEI) in Washington, Mr. Perle replied, 'The administration would welcome some outside help, probably as a symbol of international collaboration in this enterprise....

DUBAI (Reuters) - The United States and Turkey on Monday finalized an $8.5 billion loan pact to bolster the Turkish economy and offset costs incurred during the U.S.-led war against Iraq (news - web sites). Reuters Photo   U.S. Treasury Secretary John Snow, who negotiated with Turkish officials in the early hours of Monday morning to seal the deal, said the pact would not compel Turkey to send peacekeeping troops to Iraq. "This assistance package offered by the U.S. to Turkey and the deployment of Turkish troops in Iraq are two separate issues," Snow said. The agreement does, however, require...

ISTANBUL, Turkey - The United States on Wednesday endorsed a statement expressing regret over the detention of 11 Turkish soldiers, a day after Turkey apparently slipped up and released the statement without Washington's approval. The joint statement was meant to patch up Turkish-U.S. ties strained by the July 4 capture of the Turkish soldiers, but the mixup over the timing of its release struck a sour note. On Wednesday, however, the U.S. Embassy issued an official English version of the statement bearing the names of John B. Sylvester and Koksal Karabay, the U.S. and Turkish generals who led the investigation...

ANKARA - The joint commission which was formed in order to investigate detention of 11 Turkish soldiers in northern Iraq, completed its works after the fourth meeting on Monday. Sources told the A.A correspondent that during yesterday's and today's meetings, the joint statement, which was expected to be released following the talks, was given its final shape. Diplomatic sources said that the U.S. side had been waiting for approval of the U.S. administration. Meanwhile, the Turkish side will submit the draft to Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan. In the statement, the U.S. side is expected to describe detention of Turkish...

July 11, 2003- Answering questions from the 'Chicago Tribune' newspaper in Southern Kurdistan, a member of the Turkish Special Forces, who identified himself as Captain Aydin, said he was shocked when he heard U.S. troops pounding at the door. Captain Aydin said, "I heard a commotion at the front of the building, and I heard shots and shouts. The men were shouting in English, so I thought the Americans were in some kind of trouble and coming here for help."Relating how he ran to the door immediately as the Americans broke the locks and entered the premises, Captain Aydin said...

<p>July 9 (Bloomberg) -- Turkey warned the U.S. that its troops will fire back at U.S. soldiers if another attempt is made to arrest Turkish soldiers in Iraq, Milliyet daily reported, without saying how it obtained the information.</p> <p>Turkish Military Chief of Staff Hilmi Ozkok issued the warning during a meeting yesterday with General James Jones, the U.S. commander in Europe, Milliyet said.</p>

SULAYMANIYAH, Iraq -- A controversial U.S. raid and detention of Turkish special forces soldiers in northern Iraq ended early Monday - snip In Sulaymaniyah, the senior member of the Turkish outpost, a 38-year-old captain who would only identify himself as Aydin, said he was shocked when he saw U.S. troops pounding on the iron gate of the courtyard around 2 p.m. Friday. - snip "I kept thinking: This is all a misunderstanding. They're attacking the wrong spot. They must think that have the Baath Party or some Islamists," Aydin said. - snip Copyright © 2003, Chicago Tribune

The crisis in relations between Washington and Ankara deepened yesterday when Turkey's top general criticised American forces after they uncovered an assassination plot against a US-appointed official in northern Iraq. Although the Americans released 11 Turkish special forces troops detained in the area yesterday, Gen Hilmi Ozkok, Turkey's chief of staff, made a rare attack on his Nato ally. In an extraordinary public rebuke, he told Robert Pearson, the American ambassador, and a watching television audience that the arrests had "led to the biggest crisis of confidence ever between Turkish and US forces". Gen Ozkok's comments signalled that Turkey is...

WASHINGTON (AFP) - The United States and Turkey are to take part in a joint investigation over the US arrest of Turkish troops in northern Iraq (news - web sites), the State Department said. "US and Turkish military and civilian representatives are undertaking an investigation into the facts of the matter," State Department spokeswoman Amanda Batt told AFP. The Turkish news agency Anatolia reported Sunday that 11 Turkish troops arrested July 3 had now been released. While the State Department declined to confirm the troops' release, it underlined that Washington and Ankara were "beginning a joint investigation involving US and...

ISTANBUL, Turkey - The United States on Sunday released 11 Turkish special forces detained in northern Iraq (news - web sites), Turkish news reports said, ending a standoff that strained efforts by the NATO (news - web sites) allies to repair relations frayed over the Iraq war. The soldiers were released in Baghdad, private CNN-Turk and NTV news channels reported. The soldiers will spend the night at a guesthouse before being taken Monday morning to the northern Iraqi city of Sulaymaniyah, where they had been captured Friday, the media reported. The soldiers were released after a bustle of diplomacy that...

ANKARA (Reuters) - Turkey said on Sunday it expected Turkish troops detained by U.S. forces in Iraq (news - web sites) to be released shortly after receiving assurances from Vice President Dick Cheney (news - web sites). "Turkish and U.S. military authorities in the region will discuss the issue in the coming hours. Following that, it's expected special forces personnel will be returned to the Turkish side in Sulaimaniya," a statement from Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan's office said after he spoke with Cheney. Turkey says 11 soldiers were among 24 people detained in northern Iraq on Friday and taken...

Turkey’s military, which has long cast itself as the defender of the country’s secular tradition, is facing a two-front political challenge. Turkish generals have already clashed with members of the governing Justice and Development Party over recent policy moves. At the same time, the military has come under heavy criticism from top US officials for not assuming a “strong leadership role” in Turkish regional diplomatic initiatives following the Iraq conflict. An indicator of the challenges confronting the Turkish military was the length of the April 30 meeting of the National Security Council (MGK), which provides a monthly opportunity for Turkey’s...