Turkey warns of plan to invade Iraq

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Turkey warns of plan to invade Iraq

Postby patriot » Fri Nov 12, 2004 10:04 pm

http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/artic ... E_ID=41411

Turkey warns of plan to invade Iraq
Military calls for massive operation into Kurdish region

Geostrategy-Direct | November 12 2004

Turkey's military has begun preparing for what officials warned could result in a major invasion of neighboring Iraq, reports Geostrategy-Direct, the global intelligence news service.

Officials said the Turkish General Staff has drafted plans for an invasion by at least 20,000 troops into northern Iraq in early 2005. They said the General Staff has urged approval from the government of Prime Minister Recep Erdogan and discussed the proposed invasion with the United States.

"The current phase is to show the United States that we're serious," a Turkish government source said. "After the Iraqi elections in January, the Turkish military will be ready to move."

The military has called for a massive operation in northern Iraq to prevent Kurdish militias from controlling the area. The General Staff has been particularly alarmed by the reported Kurdish effort to drive out ethnic Turks from Kirkuk, the oil capital of northern Iraq and long claimed by Ankara.

Under the Turkish plan, the military would deploy at least 20,000 Turkish troops in an enclave south of the Iraqi-Turkish border. The force would focus on eliminating the Kurdish Workers Party and ensure the return of Turkmens to Kirkuk.

About 3,000 PKK fighters are said to be based in northern Iraq and have been sending insurgents and weaponry for attacks inside neighboring Turkey.

The United States has refused numerous Turkish appeals to eliminate the PKK strongholds.

On Oct. 14 Erdogan and his cabinet reviewed the General Staff's plan. That meeting, attended by Chief of Staff Gen. Hilmi Ozkok and Defense Minister Vecdi Gonul, discussed the rapid deployment of up to 40,000 troops in northern Iraq.

A scaled-down version of the military plan was discussed in the national security council on Oct. 27. The officials said that over the last week some units have already been deployed along the Iraqi-Turkish border.

Officials said the General Staff has sought to prepare two army divisions to cross the Iraqi border within 18 hours of any approval of the operation.

The first goal of the ground operation, supported by fighter-jets and attack helicopters, would be to destroy PKK strongholds in the Kandil mountains in northern Iraq.

The General Staff has warned the cabinet that Ankara could no longer ignore the Kurdish threat. Officials said the military has determined that Kurds from Iran and Syria have bolstered support for the PKK.

Iranian and Syrian Kurds, they said, have participated in PKK attacks against police and military targets in southeastern Turkey over the last week.

Officials said the General Staff has sought to obtain U.S. approval for the operation in northern Iraq. But Washington has not provided implicit approval.

The Erdogan government has sought to delay any Turkish military operation until after the European Union summit on Dec. 17. The government intends to spare the EU any pretext to delay a date for accession.

Officials said the Peshmerga are digging tunnels and establishing outposts outside Dahouk, near the Turkish border.
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Postby Bobby Sands » Fri Nov 12, 2004 10:19 pm

After a long, bloody civil war, Iraq will be split amongst Iran, Turkey, and Syria. Iran gets the Shia south, Turkey will take the north, and Syria will control the Sunni middle. Syria won't plant their flag there, but will probably control a puppet government much like they have controled Lebanon for over a decade. For that matter, Iran won't have to plant their flag to control the Shia south either. Turkey will invade and directly control the northern portion since the ethic Turkomen of Iraq are too small in number and control of oil resources too tempting.
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Postby DawnC71 » Sat Nov 13, 2004 1:51 am

This really puts the US in a tough and tenuous spot ...both Turkey and the Kurdish populations are key to us being able to sustain ourself in Iraq and I fear (as I have feared all along) that if the Kurds and Turk populations can come together and workout a reasonable truce then it could mean big trouble for the USA/Turkish alliance in that area.

We need to be able to bring the Kurds and the Iraqi Turks in Kirkut together and get them talking about this broiling situation before it turns into another "front" in Iraq.

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Postby GBR » Sat Nov 13, 2004 3:14 am

I think Turkey will control Kurdistan part and Iran the Shia , but I don't see Syria running the Sunnis either their own bathist or Sunni clerics.
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Postby seektravelinfo » Sun Nov 14, 2004 1:40 pm

I am waiting for the massive anti-war demonstrations that were displayed in Ankara and Istanbul against the war in Iraq, resulting in our troops not being permitted to launch the invasion from Turkish soil, as the Turkish Parliament withdrew authorization per the wishes of the citizenry.
Touching, their concern for the Turkmen minority (who actually originate from the Mongolian regions I think) while they run roughshod over the PeshMerga Kurds.
Transparent, their intention to wait for the next EU accession formality to pass. It seems they want to have their cake and eat it too.
Sec'y of State Colin Powell managed to keep them in check but since he will be leaving I wonder how the next Sec'y of State will manage (some have said Condoleeza Rice <ick>. )
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Postby GeneTherapy » Sun Nov 14, 2004 11:35 pm

seektravelinfo wrote: the Turkmen minority (who actually originate from the Mongolian regions I think)


I believe all Turkic people orginate from the Central Asian steppe.
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Postby seektravelinfo » Mon Nov 15, 2004 1:33 am

GeneTherapy wrote:
seektravelinfo wrote: the Turkmen minority (who actually originate from the Mongolian regions I think)


I believe all Turkic people orginate from the Central Asian steppe.


Yes, in part. the Kurdish minority originates (in part) from the Urutuan, the Aryan, the Caucauses and the central Anatolian peoples from the Hittites (in part.)

The origins of the the Turk are quite vast. At one time they also inhabited (conquered) what is now Lebanon and what is now Syria. Folks in those parts have long memories of the Ottoman Empire, and paradoxically, the Kurds of Turkey enjoyed more autonomy under the Ottomans.
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