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| Iraq |
| U.S. ABANDONS TURKEY AS SECOND FRONT |
| 2003-03-05 |
| WASHINGTON [MENL] -- The Bush administration has abandoned the hope that Turkey will serve as a major front in the planned U.S.-led war against Iraq. Officials said the Defense Department has ordered U.S. Central Command to begin preparations to execute a contingency plan for a one-front war against Iraq. That front would be Kuwait and Central Command has been informed to prepare for the arrival of at least two additional divisions meant for deployment in Turkey. "The Pentagon has written off Turkey as a second front," an official said. "There is the prospect that U.S. special forces could eventually enter Iraq from Turkish territory. But this will not comprise the second front that we had been planning." Officials said the Pentagon has launched negotiations with Kuwait for the arrival of tens of thousands of additional U.S. troops. They said Kuwait has agreed in principle, but raised unspecified guarantees. I think we've all been expecting that... |
| Posted by:Fred Pruitt |