Turkish govt asks parliament to let troops enter Iraq

Turkish govt asks parliament to let troops enter Iraq

news.yahoo.com

ANKARA (Reuters) - Turkey's cabinet asked parliament on Monday for permission to launch attacks on Kurdish separatists in northern Iraq that Washington fears could destabilize one of the most peaceful areas of the country.

(visit the link for the full news article)

Well, here we go! I've been discussing this topic in my other thread about genocide, but, here Turkey is really pushing to hit the Kurds. How will the US react to any incursions by Turkey? This could get really ugly, diplomacy-wise.

news.yahoo.com
(visit the link for the full news article)

Originally posted by Cuhail

How will the US react to any incursions by Turkey?

I think we will be forced to back them.

There will be a deal that we can claim they are stepping up efforts in support of the coalition and they continue to allow use of airspace and take a larger role in "securing" Northern Iraq.

We should let Turkish troops in to stop the terrorist in the north on one condition, That they come in to the central area to lend us a hand as well. If they cant do that then they should be given the boot from NATO if they go into Iraq without permission. They have a obligation to help if they are so concerned with Iraq being a haven for terrorist.

Originally posted by Sky watcher
We should let Turkish troops in to stop the terrorist in the north on one condition, That they come in to the central area to lend us a hand as well. If they cant do that then they should be given the boot from NATO if they go into Iraq without permission. They have a obligation to help if they are so concerned with Iraq being a haven for terrorist.

Why? They've been dealing with this issue for a lot longer than this "War on Terror". So another country needs "permission" to engage in Iraq? As I recall the coallision had less than "permission" to enter Iraq. In fact the UN said DON'T. Now Turkey, who has more right to be there than the US lead forces, need permission? Booted from NATO? Who's next? Canada because they wouldn't support that action in Iraq? I guess Disney was right, "It's a small world" and it belongs to the US.

Originally posted by Sky watcher
We should let Turkish troops in to stop the terrorist in the north on one condition, That they come in to the central area to lend us a hand as well. If they cant do that then they should be given the boot from NATO if they go into Iraq without permission. They have a obligation to help if they are so concerned with Iraq being a haven for terrorist.

Interesting choice of words, should America be booted out of Iraq because they are in there without permission. Gotta love Americans, first off you insult Turks by introducing a bill in your congress calling Turks mass murderers then you expect them to support you. Talk about knowing nothing about politics.
You know if America hadn't decided to antagonize th Turks, the issue of troops entering Iraq would be moot. ALso kicking the Turks out of Iraq eould probably result in the closure of one of the US's biggest supply ines into Iraq from Turkey. Basically if the Turks want in then the US can't really do anything about it.

I bet we come up with some reason to publically back the Turks in their operations against the Turks. I think it was RockPuck that pointed out that the PKK was a group leaning towards the "Terrorist" label. I'm sure that will come up in any talks that should take place before any real action is taken.

RockPuck, Kilgore, where are ya?

Cuhail

What I was trying to get across is that Turkey is just now all of sudden going to do something about this terrorist problem and they just want to take care of the problem that they think they have with the Kurds but why not help with the other security problems in Iraq that is bound to affect them sooner or later. They are being selfish I think in this venture having not helped with the other terrorist problems in Iraq. Just my opinion on the matter at hand. I doubt this will cause problems between the U.S. and Turkey however our stupid congress is doing more to aggravate the problem. Iran has pulled off attacks against the PKK in Iraq and we did nothing about it so that just goes to show how much Bush cares about the problem.

Originally posted by Cuhail

I bet we come up with some reason to publically back the Turks in their operations against the Turks. I think it was RockPuck that pointed out that the PKK was a group leaning towards the "Terrorist" label. I'm sure that will come up in any talks that should take place before any real action is taken.

RockPuck, Kilgore, where are ya?

Cuhail

The PKK has been labelled a terrorist group by most fo the world for a long time, no surprises there.

I had an idea this was coming after hearing the Turks response to the genocide resolution. I think they are using the resolution as a reason to disregard the US request not to cross the border.

What the hell is congress voting on a resolution about something that happened a hundred years ago anyway?

It's almost like someone knew bringing this up would give the Turks exactly what they needed. Hmm??

Well, if the Turks go at this full-tilt, you can kiss any dreams of Kurdistan as a nation-state goodbye. And that would really crushes the dreams of the neocons who wanted to point to a (once) relatively peaceful Kurdistan as a shining example of American nation-building at work and proof that the Iraq War wasn't a total failure.

This may well be the Anfal all over again.

Turkey has a right to security and to deal with any security threats just like any other nation does. If that involves the Turkish military going into northern Iraq then so be it . Any damage done to what so far has been the only stable part of Iraq would be the result of US policy failure.

In regards to the genocide resolution, I'm really not surprised.

Remember Bush boasting about killing over 1500 terrorists every month?
I find it VERY hard to believe that the terrorist organizations have over 1500 terrorists every month to have killed.

A good chunk of those 1500 people killed by the US each month have to be civilian. Or what the US media would call them "potential terrorists".
(Every human on the face of the earth is a potential terrorist...)

I say lets see Turkey go in there... perhaps then someone can keep the US military under some form of control.

reply to post by johnsky


I don't see American forces and Turkish forces tangling. AFAIK, as long as the Turks confine their combat operations to the Kurdish areas, the Americans will get WELL out of their way.

Ohhhhh, I don't know about THAT now. Check this out...

NewsMax

U.S. ally Turkey and U.S. arch-enemy Iran have formed a military alliance to drive opposition Kurds from bases in northern Iraq they have used since 2004 to launch guerrilla operations inside Iran, rebel leaders told Newsmax at a secret base in the Qandil mountains.

Turkey isn't making friends with US by doing this, it's only alienating Turkey from the U.N. by making Iran a key player in operations in our occupied territory.

It's gonna hit the fan folks. My opinion!

Cuhail

Thanks Duby78 for his finding of the article.

reply to post by Cuhail


Iran is under threat from these groups and like Turkey have the same right to defend them selves from terrorists,

I agree, bodrul, but, there are better ways to do that that to ally-up with Iran! Turkey KNOWS how the U.S. feels about Iran and there is only one real reason to team up with them in my book. To get us all bristley. I make no statement saying Turkey and Iran don't have real issues with the region of Kurdistan/Iraq, but, the fact that Turkey got Iran to "rifle-up"? This is button-pushing at it's most blatant. Turkey is in an uncomfortable corner to be sure, but, this isn't the way to get out of it in my opinion.

Cuhail

reply to post by Cuhail


I think you're misunderstanding the nature of the Turkey-Iran "alliance". What seems to me to be really going on is that Turkey and Iran are working together on a mutual threat-the PKK but that's it. Other than that, they have no reason to have a strategic alliance. Iran is almost 100% Shia and Turkey is almost 100% Sunni. Iran is fundamentalist and Turkey has historically been relatively secular. Turkey is not supporting anti-American forces in Iraq as Iran is, and has done very little, if anything, to seriously undermine Israel. I believe that Turkey and Iran's cooperation does not go beyond the PKK issue.

reply to post by Cuhail


No problem, Cuhail! I find this whole situation very interesting, and am following as many available sources as possible. This time stuff could really hit the fan!
Anyways, here's update from BBC:

Turkey seeks green light on Iraq

Turkish soldiers patrol a road near the Turkish-Iraq border
Turkey has begun preparations for a cross-border operation
MPs in Turkey are due to debate a motion authorising cross-border military operations into northern Iraq to target Kurdish rebel bases there.

Parliament in Ankara is expected to approve the motion by a large majority amid widespread public support for military action against the PKK.

Attacks blamed on the rebels have been escalating inside Turkey in a conflict which dates back more than two decades.

But the US is anxious that Turkish action could destabilise northern Iraq.

The motion says that Turkey has warned Iraq repeatedly to clamp down on the PKK to no avail.

Turkey seeks green light on Iraq

So, public is firmly approving the military action, hell they're even pushing government into it! Meanwhile, NATO 'boss' Jaap de Hoop Scheffer contacted president Gul, urging him to 'exercise the greatest possible restraint'. The situation will begin to unfold pretty soon, IMO.

Yet, I remember hearing on my national TV that Turkish PM stated that the parliament approval does not mean that they will start the action immediately, but 'when the moment is right'. Still, they seem to be grouping huge forces in the crisis area (my national TV said some 150,000 of Turkish troops are being stationed in Turkey-Iraq border zone, heavy equipment included). Well, these troops are not being stationed there for nothing, I assume.



[edit on 17-10-2007 by Duby78]

The enemy of my enemy is my friend.

With that logic Israel has since 1965 secretly and covertly trained and supplied Kurds in Northern Iraq.

Instead of posting a dozen link I'll post two links to a thread were this was discussed about a year ago.

Israel trains Kurds: www.abovetopsecret.com...

Turkey has always by will and in agreement with its alleys crossed the border to Iraq. In the days of Saddam he probably didn't mind to be given a hand in the genocide of Kurds, and after the first gulf war with the no-fly zones enforced, Turkish airforce had free play to perform raids on Kurdistan. I have this from John Pilger's "The New Rulers of the World"

Turkey has probably at least a dozen times in the last 20 years conducted massive landraids far into Iraqi Kurdistan. Mainstream media has NEVER put ANY focus on such campaigns. Here's an article from johnpilger.com desribing a campaign in 2000:
Turkey, which has killed 30,000 Kurds, has now invaded northern Iraq

The Israeli connection is the wildcard in this game and must be the big dilemma for US.
For details see this post: www.abovetopsecret.com...

To further complicate things, Turkey and Israel have had an alliance of non-agression for about 50 years and close military ties.

Kind of ironic, US condemnes a genocide by Turkey with a 90 year delay and is in the same breath about to allow them perpetrate a new one.

PKK might be deemed a so-caled terrorist organisation. In other times they were recognized as freedom fighters. Which I still see them as.

BTW, Kurds are by some seen as one of the lost tribes of Israel.

Whatever's cooking, it's gonna be a hot stew.