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| Iraq | ||
| Kurdish leaders step up war of words with Turkey | ||
| 2003-03-23 | ||
| Kurdish leaders yesterday accused Turkey of delaying the long-awaited northern offensive by US forces to topple Saddam Hussein. "The Americans are so frustrated with the Turks it is unbelievable," said Hoshyar Zebari, a Kurdish leader, yesterday after talks with American and Turkish officials in Ankara. To the contrary, it's very believable. In one incident the US was particularly angered when its strike aircraft were unable to give prompt support to a combined unit of US special forces and peshmerga (Kurdish soldiers) involved in a firefight with the Iraqi army, according to sources in Washington. That just about does it. Turkey has refused to bow to demands from the US, Britain and Germany that it not invade Iraq in an effort to reduce the influence of the Iraqi Kurds in any post-Saddam settlement. The Kurds have now put their forces under the command of the US-led coalition in an effort to make themselves a more valuable partner of the US than Turkey in the war. They have also made available four airstrips for US forces to enter Iraqi Kurdistan as a base from which to advance on the northern cities of Mosul and Kirkuk. The Kurdish forces would like to paint themselves as full military allies of the US, especially as they have a somewhat different agenda, including the return of 300,000 Kurdish refugees to Kirkuk and Mosul provinces.
This is big news if true. American military assets on the ground in northern Iraq are not large. There are peshmerga units combined with a small number of US special forces. The US could also fly in airborne brigades, but could not mount anything like the heavy armoured attack being made on the Iraqi army in the south of the country. If it did rely heavily on the Kurds then this might precipitate the Turkish intervention which the US has been trying to avoid. Having the 4th infantry division there would be really nice right about now. Mr Zebari said there had been one skirmish in which a US/peshmerga unit had called in an air strike that killed three Iraqi soldiers. He hinted that a general attack might occur in two or three days, but the frontline remained quiet yesterday. | ||
| Posted by:Steve White |
| #4 one of main reasons for holding off on recgonizing an Iraqi govt was defference to Turkey. With Turkey so uncooperative, recogniton makes more sense |
| Posted by: liberalhawk 2003-03-24 08:47:44 |
| #3 I just read (posted too) an article about shaping of post war Iraq which sheds additional light on this issue. |
| Posted by: becky 2003-03-23 11:19:09 |
| #2 UN need not apply. France and Russia will have to discuss their prior contracts with the new LEGITIMATE leaders of the Iraq Interim Authority, instead of the UN or US... heh heh. Also seeking private bids for food distribution, security services, construction and oil well maintainence. With an Iraqi Interim Authority, the UN's "illegal war" time-bomb just exploded in a blaze of glory. What are they going to do? Demand we recognize Saddam or members from the prior regime? Ha ha..very clever indeed! OTOH, I suppose they could try to sue Sadaam for breach of contract and then collect from his Swiss Bank accounts. Good luck. Additional item on NEW Iraqi government's to-do list, select new ambassadors for France, Russia, Mexico and Chili. |
| Posted by: becky 2003-03-23 04:24:10 |
| #1 --The US has abandoned its plans for an American military government of Iraq after the expected fall of President Saddam, said Mr Zebari after talks with US officials. Instead there would be an Iraqi interim authority which would include the Iraqi opposition and others not connected with the present government.-- We're screwed. W might still be his father's son, when we need his mother's side. |
| Posted by: Anonymous 2003-03-23 02:37:42 |