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| Iraq |
| Turkey: No troops in Iraq |
| 2003-03-22 |
| Turkey has denied sending troops to Kurdish northern Iraq. "Nope. Nope. Wudn't us. Nope." It had been reported that Turkish troops had crossed the border, sparking fears of a "war within a war". With Turkey wary that the power vacuum will reignite Kurdish fervour for statehood, Washington fears that a second conflict could erupt in the region, greatly complicating the main war and middle east political picture. Using strong diplomatic language, American Secretary of State Colin Powell said that if Turkey did move into Iraq it would be "particularly unhelpful". It is thought Turkey need troops in Iraq to control refugees from the US-led war on Baghdad and forestall any attempt to create a Kurdish state — a move it fears could reignite separatism on Turkish soil. However, Barham Salih, prime minister of the Kurds in northern Iraq, said he regretted the incursion by Turkish troops. Mr Salih told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "Our position has always been clear, we don't believe that Turkish military incursion into Iraqi Kurdistan is warranted. This will destabilise the region. This will cause many complications in the process of a transition from dictatorship to what we hope will be some form of democratic government in Baghdad." "So stay the hell out and don't jiggle our elbow. We'll talk later, when we're not so busy..." |
| Posted by:Fred Pruitt |
| #2 No blood for cranberry sauce ! |
| Posted by: Malthusiast 2003-03-22 18:08:11 |
| #1 word out of the Pentagon now is that the Turks are not in Iraq? Obfuscation? or did someone explain how hard it would be to tell Ansar gunnies and Turks |
| Posted by: Frank G 2003-03-22 11:01:55 |