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Iraq-Jordan
Turkey Warns US to Stop Operation in Fallujah
2004-11-12
Turkish Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul said that he has warned his American counterpart Colin Powell about the US operation against the terrorists in Fallujah, reported the Turkish media yesterday. In a statement made during Parliamentary budget talks, Gul said that he talked to Colin about Turkish concerns. "We told him civilians should not be hurt and an increase of civilian losses would cause more trouble in Iraq. We explained our anxiety about the issue. We hope that these operations will end as soon as possible, so peace can be established and a proper election atmosphere can come to Iraq," said Gul.
Peace won't be established with the Bad Guys continuing to control territory. Period. It's too bad the Islamic heroes are hiding among the civilians. It's too bad the civilians welcomed them with open arms, too. Cause, meet effect.
The Turkish FM added that "All the countries of the world wants to see Iraq stabilized, with Turkey first among them because Iraq, first of all, is our neighbor and secondly, the Turkmens, Kurds and Arabs in Iraq are all our brothers. Peace for them is a matter of intense concern for us," reported the source.
Posted by:Fred

#31  "W": "Hey...don mess with Texas"!
Posted by: smn   2004-11-12 10:03:47 PM  

#30  http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/war/images/dist-kurdish.gif
Posted by: Parabellum   2004-11-12 8:07:31 PM  

#29  Keep it for ourselves and rename it Bushstanbul.

How about North Texas?
Posted by: Raj   2004-11-12 7:28:38 PM  

#28  Better to piss them both off. Keep it for ourselves and rename it Bushstanbul.

Bushtantinople.
Posted by: Robert Crawford   2004-11-12 5:02:02 PM  

#27  he Greeks tend to be Anti-American, but would they side with the US if offered Cypress and Constantinople?

Not if Aris is involved in the discussion. It's not that he would or would not object, it's that the discussion would never conclude.
Posted by: Mrs. Davis   2004-11-12 2:37:09 PM  

#26  Better to piss them both off. Keep it for ourselves and rename it Bushstanbul.
Posted by: ed   2004-11-12 2:37:03 PM  

#25  #22 Robert Crawford:
Has anyone figured out if the Turks are playing to their native Islamists, the French, or a combination of both?
There's a difference?
Posted by: Barbara Skolaut   2004-11-12 2:33:44 PM  

#24  I know the Greeks tend to be Anti-American, but would they side with the US if offered Cypress and Constantinople?
Posted by: rjschwarz   2004-11-12 2:26:26 PM  

#23  We need to get our people out of Turkey NOW so that they can't be used as hostages if the Turks try to invade Iraq with 20,000 troops next year.
Posted by: RWV   2004-11-12 2:08:07 PM  

#22  Has anyone figured out if the Turks are playing to their native Islamists, the French, or a combination of both?
Posted by: Robert Crawford   2004-11-12 12:35:19 PM  

#21  "We hope that these operations will end as soon as possible, so peace can be established and a proper election atmosphere can come to Iraq," said Gul."

As turkey does nothing to achieve such an outcome. I could just see Powell drop his jaw at such a statement. Yes Abdul, asap, thx for your concern and deep insight, Hadn't thought of that, who could have, damned deep, brought me out of my slumber.
Posted by: Lucky   2004-11-12 12:00:12 PM  

#20  Turkey vs. US'd be interesting.

One thing's for sure - there won't be a replay of Gallipoli.
Posted by: Bomb-a-rama   2004-11-12 11:55:11 AM  

#19  "Turkey vs. US'd be interesting."

Heh, yeah - for about an hour - considering crew scramble, rotation, and flight time. We'd have to order some more mops, too.
Posted by: .com   2004-11-12 11:48:06 AM  

#18  Turkey's just polishing its resume for EU admission. "See -- we sassed the Americans just like Jacques does!"
Posted by: Matt   2004-11-12 11:47:42 AM  

#17  The real test of the Turkish complain is whether they'll even (explicitly) threaten - much less carry out - an attack on US forces, whether or not they hit the Kurds ...

Turkey vs. US'd be interesting.
Posted by: Edward Yee   2004-11-12 11:38:49 AM  

#16  Powell should show the Turks a map of independent Kurdistan. ALL of independent Kurdistan including half of Turkey, chunks of Syria and Iran. Tell them that is the backup plan if things get fouled up.

Oh, and verbal taunts can foul things up as well as threats to send 20,000 troops into Northern Iraq.
Posted by: rjschwarz   2004-11-12 11:06:22 AM  

#15  The Turks are falling under the spell of Jacques....
Posted by: Bomb-a-rama   2004-11-12 11:03:20 AM  

#14   Turk #1: Hey Achmed, you notice that Incirlick Air Base has seemed a little quiet lately.

Achmed: Yeah, the last time I heard planes take off was 2 weeks ago....uh..oh.
Posted by: 98zulu   2004-11-12 10:56:00 AM  

#13  Hey Turkey:

No 4th Infantry Division nor logistical access for us, no political influence for you.

Learn it, know it, live it.

I'll have my secretary put you on hold with Spain, we will get to your call when the time is "mutually convenenient".
Posted by: George W. Bush   2004-11-12 10:10:28 AM  

#12  .com, re #1-I am glad they didn't get that chance. It would have been a betrayal of the only people in that area who have been steadfastly, patiently willing to work with America (Kurds). We better show some loyalty to people who have SOME genuine wish to work with us, not those who have failed more than once to genuinely work with us (unless our goal is to perpetuate the regional myth that Americans are double dealers who betray their friends).
Posted by: Jules 187   2004-11-12 10:03:22 AM  

#11  And if we don't stop killing terrorists in Fallujah Turkey will do what?
Posted by: Mark Z.   2004-11-12 9:54:45 AM  

#10  Kurdistan Now!
Posted by: Mrs. Davis   2004-11-12 9:16:01 AM  

#9  No!
Posted by: raptor   2004-11-12 7:50:37 AM  

#8  How many Turks were murdered, burned and hung on a bridge?


Bad guys keep going down in Fallujah. Justice has hit town!
Posted by: Mark Espinola   2004-11-12 5:00:31 AM  

#7  Rafael, 20,000 'possed to be deployed after elections. Hmmm, my crystal ball sez... what a nice turkey shoot!
Posted by: Cornîliës   2004-11-12 1:08:50 AM  

#6  Oh, Turkey wants us to stop killing islamonazis in Fallujah? Why didn't they say so sooner?

We'll withdraw immediately! What were we thinking?

Uh-huh.

Hey, Turkey - when we want your opinion about Iraq we'll give it to you. STFU.
Posted by: Barbara Skolaut   2004-11-12 1:03:27 AM  

#5  Turkey, the new France.
Posted by: AzCat   2004-11-12 12:54:02 AM  

#4  These statements out of Turkey must be for public(world) consumption; I believe Turkey is singing like canaries in secret to the US!

"W" is curiously quiet about this. 20,000 troops poised to invade Iraq, should be "irritating" him by now.
Posted by: smn   2004-11-12 12:50:37 AM  

#3  So if we continue the offensive, this will be seen as proof that we're inhumane. If we discontinue the offensive, it will be seen that we've suffered a bloody defeat.
Posted by: Phil Fraering   2004-11-12 12:39:19 AM  

#2  Those 20,000 Turkish troops, are they on their way? No? Nothing?
Posted by: Rafael   2004-11-12 12:37:02 AM  

#1  ROFL!!!

As Chirac would say, Gul has missed yet another opportunity to STFU, lol! If only they had been our allies, instead of allied to Saddam, they would have a "say" in what happens in Iraq, today. They happily forfeited this "right" for a pocket full of French mumbles. Now they can play with themselves. That will have the same effect on US actions, only feel better.
Posted by: .com   2004-11-12 12:33:31 AM  

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