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| Iraq |
| Turkish Press News on Iraq |
| 2003-02-07 |
| These are some of the major headlines and their brief stories in Turkey's press on February 7, 2003. Land Forces Commander Aytac Yalman paid a secret visit to Jordan in which a third front will be opened in a possible U.S.-led military operation against Iraq. The United States will open the first front in Kuwait in such a war. If Turkey gives permission, a second front will be opened in the north. Jordan will become the third front against southwest of Iraq. Cool. I wonder if anyone told Jordan? During the secret meeting held at National Intelligence Agency's (MIT) Marmara Mansion, Prime Minister Abdullah Gul told Iraqi Vice President Taha Yasin Ramadan, ''please, think of your people.'' He stressed, ''we have been expending all kinds of efforts to prevent a possible war. We have been holding high-level contacts. As regional countries, we assure protection of Iraq's borders. Iraq should abide by resolutions of the United Nations.'' Prime Minister Gul asked Ramadan to convey his words to Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein. Don't think he's listening.\ NATO Secretary General George Robertson said that he had put forward some proposals about defense of Turkey in a possible military operation against Iraq. The proposals of Robertson are envisaged to be approved with ''silence procedure''. According to the procedure, if any of 19 allied countries does not object to the proposals till the beginning of next week, the proposals will come into force. Noting that he had put forward some deliberate proposals about defense of Turkey, the only ally of NATO neighboring Iraq, in a possible military operation against Iraq, Robertson said that all allied countries had been in consensus about defense of Turkey. We'll see. Although U.N. Security Council permanent members France, China and Russia and regional countries oppose to it and although all these countries say there should be a second U.N. resolution, the United States is determined to attack on Iraq. Pentagon is expected to increase the number of its soldiers to 150 thousand by February 15 while this number is expected to reach 200 thousand in March. It has almost become definite that the United States which will use military bases in Turkey, Jordan, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia will proceed effectively from the southern and northern fronts. U.S. special forces who are already in Iraq will start invasion from the land, later there will be intense bombardment within 48 hours. Works for me. Ahead of a possible US-led war against Iraq, Parliament yesterday approved a proposal allowing the United States to make upgrades to Turkish airbases and ports for a possible stationing of US troops. The decision came one day after Prime Minister Abdullah Gul declared his governmentâs support for US plans to carry out a military campaign against Iraq and was approved in a closed session by a vote of 308-193, with 9 abstentions. The government is expected to put another proposal before Parliament on Feb. 18, after next weekâs Feast of the Sacrifice (Kurban Bayram) holiday, regarding a US request to station its troops in Turkey for a possible northern offensive into Iraq. In related news, about 50 AKP deputies voted against the proposal, citing their opposition to a war in the region, while all the opposition Republican Peopleâs Party (CHP) deputies also voted down the proposal. Cutting it a little close. Ankara yesterday hosted a summit of northern Iraqi opposition leaders convened in order to discuss a post-Saddam Hussein future. Participating in the meeting were Iraqi Kurdistan Democratic Party (IKPD) leader Jalal Talabani, Iraqi Turkmen Front (ITF) Sanan Ahmet Aga, and Nechirvan Barzani, the nephew of Iraqi Kurdistan Democratic Party (IKPD) leader Massoud Barzani as well as prime minister of the so-called regional Kurdistan government. Also present were US President W. Bushâs Envoy to the Iraqi opposition Zalmay Khalilzad and Turkish Foreign Ministry Deputy Undersecretary Ali Tuygan. During the meeting, Tuygan said should Turkish forces enter northern Iraq the Kurdish groups should accept them as allies. He also warned the Kurds not to attempt to found an independent state in the region, adding that nobody should try to benefit from such a war, clearly suggesting that the Kurds should not try to take control of the oil-rich cities of Mosul and Kirkuk. For his part, Khalilzad urged the other participants at the meeting to heed Tuyganâs words. Talabani stated that Turkey and the US were coming to protect the northern Iraqis and that they were all allies. However, Barzani warned that if neighboring countries intervened in the region this could lead to unrest and chaos. I think a deal has been made with the Kurds to behave. Responding to the news that Turkeyâs Parliament had approved upgrades of certain facilities in preparation for their possible use by US forces, Iraqâs Ambassador to Turkey Talip Abid Salih said yesterday that such a move was tantamount to joining a war. âIf Turkey allows US troops to be stationed here, this is tantamount to taking part in a war,â stated Salih. âCountries which help the US will later realize their mistake.â Salih added that he was not threatening Turkey, merely giving advice. Keep your advise to yourself. |
| Posted by:Steve |