Turkey and US/EU head for dangerous confrontation

This can't be good. The last thing that needs to happen is a civil war in northern Iraq between Turkish troops and Kurds.

that the Turks will show up as "unwelcome" refugee handlers...

If they show up as anything else...Turkey would have just committed political and economic suicide...

The US has already stated that an independent Kurdish nation is NOT on the agenda for post-Saddam Iraq. The Turks would be mindful to respect this position...

The story of this thread is the story of a gathering storm.

I think this is crunch time.If Turkey pushes this further then the repercussions could be dire.

It must be said though,that this was predictable and was exactly the type of conflict that might of been expected.When great nations take action outside of international law and outside of established international frameworks lesser nation can then also dismiss them.This could just be the start as the nations of the world adopt new policies of pre-emption.

I'm think,in fact I know,that there are threads on this section discussing this very problem yet these arguments,that war would create instability in the region,were dismissed by those eager in their rush to war.

Now we watch.

edition.cnn.com...

www.reuters.com...;jsessionid=BM2GDVOJ3QFNQCRBAEOCFFA?type=worldNews&storyID=2429512

As I understand the situation the US representatives hung up the phone is respect to a conversation with the Turks.

John Bull 1 your first link does not seem to be working and the second seems to be missing substantial content.

As far as I know in respect to the powers that be, Turkish troops are not to be in Iraq. And they understand that this is more than just a request.

During the recent downtime, at least, the Turks appeared to be moving towards a more placatory stance: indeed, they denied that troops had "entered" N. Iraq. (since they already have troops there, it is not entirely clear what this would mean).
The "overflight" issue has been affected by parliament, in Ankara, but it should be settled by now, or soon.
I think this has probably been a real nuisance and has forced the US to focus on the south when the US would have liked to attack simultaneously fron the north thereby engaging the 50% or so of Saddam's forces that at present constitute a safe reserve for him (or his immediate successors).
On the other hand, let us not rush to condemn Turkey: they've been good NATO allies for 50+ years. And, while the licensed embezzlers of Brussels and Strasbourg occasionally get on their high horses when the issue of Turkey's admission to the EU arises, it needs to be rembered that Turkey is a Muslim nation (albeit strenuously secular at the constitutional level, at least). This may appear to be a mere stumbling-block but is in fact a tightrope upon which Turkish governments must forever balance precariously.
If we recall the distasteful acrobatic displays some Western politicians not infrequently put on in order to humour or appease small Muslim minorities among their own electorates, we might begin to appreciate the pressures Turkish administrations are under.

[Edited on 23-3-2003 by Estragon]

Two wars merge in Kurdish territory...


www.observer.co.uk...

I heard a reporter stating that this whole ordeal may lead to war within a war . Imagine two separate wars going on at the same time. And with our ( U.S. ) best friends the Brits mostly likely going to lead that war . Well ... it's only right that the U.S. help them in that war . And we (U.S.) have enough troops to fight both wars if need be. If not , then I guess that's when all high school seniors worst nightmares come true .... the military draft .

The US has 1.5 million active troops and 1.25 million on reserve so I doubt we'll need the draft.