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Iraq
Turkey Won’t Send Troops to Iraq
2003-11-07
Wotta surprise.
Turkey will not send troops to Iraq to relieve U.S. forces there, a government official said Friday, after local Iraqi officials made clear they didn’t want Turkish soldiers to join the coalition.
"Nononononononononononononono...
Turkey’s parliament voted last month to allow a contingent of Turkish troops to join the U.S.-led occupation of Iraq. American officials had pressed Turkey, the only majority Muslim nation in NATO, to approve sending troops. But a government official told The Associated Press on condition of anonymity that his administration will not use the authority granted by parliament to send troops to Iraq under current conditions.
"Seeing as the Kurds would like to pot us, and the 4ID wouldn’t let us shoot back."
Private NTV television said Turkey’s military has stopped preparations for deployment. Turkey’s ambassador to the United States, Osman Faruk Logoglu, said this week that his country would not send peacekeeping troops into Iraq without an invitation from the Iraqi Governing Council. Some members of the council have expressed opposition to Turkish deployment, citing atrocities ethnic tensions and uncomfortable memories of the Ottoman empire, which ruled Iraq for about 400 years. The Pentagon had been counting on a third multinational division, possibly led by Turkey, but that has not materialized. It announced plans Thursday to alert an additional 43,000 National Guard and Reserve support troops that they may be sent to Iraq as well. A U.S. official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul and U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell addressed the matter in a phone conversation late Thursday. ``Powell called Foreign Minister Gul. They talked about the current condition in Iraq, and the possible troop contribution,’’ the U.S. official said. ``Foreign Minister Gul said the government was reconsidering its offer’’ to send troops. Asked if Turkey was still sending troops, the U.S. official said: ``At this point, it appears ’no.’’’
Turks get to play this both ways at home, and probably will.
Turkey’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Huseyin Dirioz said in a written statement that Powell thanked Turkey for its offer to help ``efforts led by the United States to ensure security, stability and economic development in Iraq.’’ ``Foreign Minister Gul and U.S. Secretary of State Powell agreed that Turkey and the U.S. would continue to work together for the Iraqi people and that Turkey would assume a key role in Iraq’s stability and restructuring,’’ Dirioz added.
"Mr. Secretary, how did that phone call with the Turkish Foreign Minister turn out?"
"Marvin, it ain’t good. We have a problem here. We can activate about 43,000 Guard soldiers, or we can bring the Turkish army into Iraq."
"Pardon me for asking, Mr. Secretary, but are these the Turks that used to rule the place?"
"Yep."
"The Turks that thumped the Kurds to the north?"
"Yep."
"The Turks that committed atrocities against Kurdish civilians?"
"Yep."
"The Turks who would cause an insurrection in Iraq?"
"Yep."
"I’ll get Mr. Rumsfeld on the phone for you."
"Right now, Marvin."
Posted by:Steve White

#11  Actually Murat's comments above (despite his ignorant jabs about dummy council and dummy President) are probably the wisest once I've seen him make on this board. We should train and arm the Kurds and put them in charge of the occupation force that covers Northern Iraq and the Sunni triangle. It's brilliant.
Posted by: Yank   2003-11-7 8:05:05 PM  

#10  Redundant headline Redundant headline. But Murat likes it But Murat likes it.

bet he still wouldn't get the link/title right even given two tries
Posted by: Frank G   2003-11-7 6:36:32 PM  

#9  Turkey hosed us during the invasion. Now they are turning down the overtures to make up and be pals. Screw 'em.
Posted by: flash91   2003-11-7 4:11:41 PM  

#8  Redundant headline Redundant headline.
But Murat likes it But Murat likes it.
Posted by: Mike   2003-11-7 3:55:46 PM  

#7  I know that Turkey had previously sent some troops to Afghanistan, but I don't think that they are still there. Why don't we ask Turkey to send 5,000 or 10,000 troops to Afghanistan to help improve the security situation there and to free up US/UK troops to hunt for Taliban/AQ types along the Pak border (or even in Warzistan & NWFP)? Like Germany, Turkey can still be useful to us in the gloabl WoT if they make a solid contribution in Afghanistan. What do you think of that, Murat?
Posted by: Tibor   2003-11-7 3:43:17 PM  

#6  I like the fact that the Kurds have more clout with the US than Turkey. Nice moves, Turkey. What's next, an Islamic state ? Ooops, already workin on it.
Posted by: Anonymous   2003-11-7 2:46:48 PM  

#5  Kurdistan

I hope to vacation there some day.





Posted by: Michael   2003-11-7 1:35:47 PM  

#4  murat - who in Iraq belongs on the IGC who's not on it?
Posted by: liberalhawk   2003-11-7 12:25:20 PM  

#3  One word: Kurdistan.
Posted by: Bomb-a-rama   2003-11-7 11:52:36 AM  

#2  that's phase 2, son
Posted by: Frank G   2003-11-7 11:42:29 AM  

#1  First I had doubts with the conservative AKP government, but I am getting to like them. Why are you guys asking for Turkish troops anyway, drill the Kurds and sent them to Fallujah and Tikrit. The US created a dummy Iraqi council with a dummy Iraqi Kurd as president, why leaving out a Kurdish army force?
Posted by: Murat   2003-11-7 11:12:03 AM  

00:00