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Iraq
Talabani: US troop presence keeps neighbors from invading
2006-09-27
Iraqi President Jalal Talabani said that the US military presence in Iraq keeps neighbors from invading his country. "The American presence has always prevented any kind of foreign invasion to Iraq," Talabani said.

"That's one of the main reasons why we think that we need an American presence, even symbolical, in the country to prevent our neighbors attacking us," he said at a forum at the Woodrow Wilson Center, a Washington think thank.

Talabani also said Baghdad could not "further tolerate" neighbors' interference in its internal affairs. "I think that our neighbors must understand that our patience is limited," he said, refusing to single out countries but adding "we mean all of them."
And wouldn't you know it but the Iraqi army is rapidly improving ...
Asked if there was concern over aggression from Turkey, Talabani said: "I don't think there is any danger for invasion by Turkey to Iraq." Iraq has "good relations" with the government of Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and could help Ankara in its conflict with the separatist Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), he said. "We could convince PKK to stop fighting in Turkey," the Iraqi leader said.
Might be a good idea to do just that then.
Talabani also insisted that Iraq would not spiral down into civil war. "There would be no civil war. We have problems, we have some kind of extremists who are fighting against each other. They are not representing the whole society," he said.

He also defended the US military presence in Iraq. "The immediate departure of coalition forces would only unleash the terrorists," Talabani said. "I cannot promise when or how the American presence will completely end in Iraq but I can promise that American soldiers do not fight in vain."
Posted by:Steve White

#9  Turkey wouldn't mind a piece of the Kurdish area on the pretense that they're fighting the PKK.

Maybe. I could imagine Turkey going in there to do a little housekeeping, but I don't think they'd stay if they didn't have to. They want very little to do with the Kurds, and I don't think the Kurdish area has any oil. Then again, there's Cyprus.
Posted by: gorb   2006-09-27 18:10  

#8  Is this another speech?

If so, he's starting to warn them on a regular basis.
Posted by: anonymous2u   2006-09-27 12:19  

#7  "I think that our neighbors must understand that our patience is limited," he said, refusing to single out countries but adding "we mean all of them."

He's absolutely correct not to single any out and to say "we mean all of them". The only countries bordering on Iraq that want them to succeed are Kuwait and Jordan.
Posted by: Rob Crawford   2006-09-27 11:58  

#6  Gorb, I think the 's' is correct.

Turkey wouldn't mind a piece of the Kurdish area on the pretense that they're fighting the PKK.
Posted by: AlanC   2006-09-27 11:20  

#5  Understatement of the year.
Posted by: wxjames   2006-09-27 09:51  

#4  Are we out of Germany yet?
Posted by: Nimble Spemble   2006-09-27 06:37  

#3  I think he means Iran who would love to takeover Iraq!!!
Posted by: Cheregum Crelet7867   2006-09-27 06:19  

#2  He's, of course, right. We need to sustain our presence until the Iraqis are fully capable of taking care of themselves. They live in a bad neighborhood.
Posted by: Captain America   2006-09-27 03:40  

#1  Talabani: US troop presence keeps neighbors from invading

There, fixed it.
Posted by: gorb   2006-09-27 01:45  

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