Turkish troops enter northern Iraq

Turkish troops enter northern Iraq

english.aljazeera.net

A group of 300 Turkish troops crossed into Kurdish territory in northern Iraq overnight and moved about three kilometres deeper into Iraq on Tuesday morning.

A senior Iraqi military source said the Turkish troops were lightly armed and moved into the Gali Rash area, a mountainous district near the border.

This first ground incursion comes as Condoleezza Rice, the US secretary of state, made an unannounced visit to Kirkuk in Iraq's semi-autonomous Kurdish region.

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A very surprising move because no one expected Turkey to enter Iraq until the new year.

The area is currently experiencing heavy snow, live pictures were shown on Al Jazeera.

It's only a small force that has entered, by Turkey have a large force lined up on the border.

english.aljazeera.net
(visit the link for the full news article)

It looks like Turkey had some help...

Nothing like a little US intel to help you locate some targets.

U.S. Helps Turkey Hit Rebel Kurds In Iraq

The United States is providing Turkey with real-time intelligence that has helped the Turkish military target a series of attacks this month against Kurdish separatists holed up in northern Iraq, including a large airstrike on Sunday, according to Pentagon officials.

U.S. military personnel have set up a center for sharing intelligence in Ankara, the Turkish capital, providing imagery and other immediate information gathered from U.S. aircraft and unmanned drones flying over the separatists' mountain redoubts, the officials said. A senior administration official said the goal of the U.S. program is to identify the movements and activities of the Kurdish Workers' Party (PKK), which is fighting to create an autonomous enclave in Turkey.

How are the Iraqi Kurds going to take this? Sec of State Rice is in Iraq on a surprise visit, can this be a topic of discussion?

reply to post by JacKatMtn


I think the US are giving them intelligence so Turkey doesn't send the whole force over resulting in a occupation of Northern Iraq.

But Turkey is running out of patients

reply to post by infinite


I agree it is an attempt to appease both sides in a fight.

What did our policymakers do? Offer up some consolation to Turkey?

Hey Turkey

Yes

I know you want to go in and wipe out the Kurds but can we compromise and let you make a raid or two into Iraq and let you wipe out some PKK hideouts? We can tell you where they are, but you must promise to go back to Turkey when you reach the acceptible body count.

Is it a deal?

Maybe

We will take that as a YES, Go get' em, and we will send Condie in to quiet down the resistance which might come from the Iraqis

Well, it backed fire.

Turkey are planning to "up" the number.

reply to post by infinite


this isnt supprising
Turkey are being attcked in the north by terrorists
so they have all the right to Inavde/attack northen Iraq
just like the US did in Iraq and Afganistan

reply to post by bodrul


The problem for the US, and major worry, is the Kurdish North is the success story of Iraq. Little violence, strong regional government and got the oil up and running too.

But as you said, Turkey has a right to deal with terrorists. If America can invade nations to catch terrorists, why not Turkey?

all in all, it is a sad story. while i agree turkey has every right to defend itself, the escalation of violence in the region troubles my already war weary heart.

i can not make any comments beyond that at the moment because i have not been reading anything on the issue. when i learn more i will expand my comments.