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Turkey Signals Possible Military Action Against Kurds in Iraq
The Turkish government hinted Sept. 1 that it may send troops into Iraq to fight Turkish Kurd rebels there. Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul told reporters here that Turkey would do "whatever its security required." "The United States is not yet in a position to launch a military operation against the [rebel group] PKK," Gul said in an apparent sign of growing Turkish impatience with the United States. "We shall not proceed by relying on another country. We know how to deal with our enemy." An estimated 4,500 to 5,000 armed militants of the separatist PKK, also known as Kongra-Gel, reportedly are holed up in the mountains in northern Iraq. The group, which seeks independence for Turkish Kurds, is recognized by Turkey and the United States as a terrorist organization. Despite repeated assurances to Ankara, the United States, the occupying power in Iraq, has not proposed any military offensive against the PKK. U.S. officials have said they plan no such military action in the near future. Some 30 Turkish security forces personnel have been killed since June, when the PKK ended its unilateral, five-year cease-fire with Turkey. I guess we don't really need to worry about stopping at the Syrian, or Irani borders. The MiddleEast seems to have its own rules. Posted by: Super Hose 2004-09-03 |
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