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| Iraq |
| Talabani expresses concern over Turkish, Iranian troop build-up. |
| 2006-04-23 |
| BAGHDAD - President Jalal Talabani expressed his concern on Sunday over reported Iranian and Turkish troop concentrations on those countries’ borders with Iraq. Turkey has moved thousands of troops to the border region in what its military said was an offensive against Turkish Kurd guerrillas. Iran has also reportedly moved forces to the border, and last week shelled a mountainous region inside Iraq used by Iranian Kurd fighters for infiltration into Iran, according to Iraqi Kurd officials. There were no reports of casualties from Friday’s artillery and rocket barrage. Talabani said that so far Iranian and Turkish forces have stayed on their sides of the border. But “I have expressed my concern over these concentrations ... Iraq is a soveriegn independent nation that won’t let other nations interfere in its internal affairs,” he said at a press conference with US ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad in the northern city of Irbil. Turkey has called on the United States to crack down on rebel bases in northern Iraq, but US commanders, struggling to battle Iraqi insurgents elsewhere, have been extremely reticent to fight the rebels, who are based in the remote mountain areas in one of the few stable parts of the country. Balance at the link. |
| Posted by:Besoeker |
| #5 As wid EGYPT, the Turks know Iran's Mullahs want Empire and to replace INSTANBUL wid TEHRAN as the center of the future Regional and eventually Global Muslim State. Turkey, as would every other sovereign Muslim nation on Asia Minor, may end up being just another province of Tehran. No longer only about the KURDS. |
| Posted by: JosephMendiola 2006-04-23 23:04 |
| #4 Yes, I do recall something about over-flight, landing, and basing refusals. Good point Frank. |
| Posted by: Besoeker 2006-04-23 16:36 |
| #3 Turkey should be reminded of their backstabbing behavior and told that their troops will be fodder the minute they step in - screw Incirlik. |
| Posted by: Frank G 2006-04-23 16:33 |
| #2 It would also be terribly difficult to encircle them in a mountainous area. Not with Air Assault. Mountains are perfect for that type of operation in northern Iraq. Not quite high enough to degrade choppers badly. |
| Posted by: DarthVader 2006-04-23 15:57 |
| #1 I suspect that the Turks and Iranians may have reached a nudge-nudge wink-wink to wipe out the PKK at the same time. However, this leaves three variables in play: the rest of the Kurds, and their Peshmurga army; the Iraqi army; and the US. In past the Turks have said they might enter Iraq to attack the PKK, yet if the Iranians entered Iraq it would be causus belli, unless perhaps it was done at the same time as the Turkish advance. The Iranian shelling into Iraq received no response--this might embolden them to send in ground forces. The US could either slaughter or capture them, or ignore them. It would be a shame to miss an opportunity to terrify the Iranian military right now. It would also be terribly difficult to encircle them in a mountainous area. |
| Posted by: Anonymoose 2006-04-23 14:35 |