Article

2003-03-17 Iraq

Keep out of Kurdish areas, US warns Turkey

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Posted by Steve White 2003-03-17 12:50 pm|| || Front Page|| [11125 views since 2007-05-07] Top

#1 --And now, Fred Barnes, on Tony Snow's panel on Fox News Friday afternoon, reports that they are aggressively lobbying the Turks to not only deny us the use of their territory to open up a northern Iraq front, but to deny us their airspace as well.--

Guess who?

via transterrestrial musings.

Posted by Anonymous 2003-03-17 01:18:22|| 2003-03-17 01:18:22|| Front Page Top

#2 I donât believe in the whole media fuzz anymore, nor do I believe that the northern front option has been abandoned. From February 19 till now 2087 vehicles have been unloaded in the Turkish port of Iskenderun and right at this moment the ro-ro freighter âRepublica-Biromaâ continues to unload her cargo of 716 vehicles.

It makes no sense to say the US has abandoned the northern front plan A option and to continue the deployment of military materials at full speed.

Posted by Murat 2003-03-17 03:56:05|| 2003-03-17 03:56:05|| Front Page Top

#3 Welcome back Murat. Vacation? The pot is about to boil over.

Posted by Anonymous 2003-03-17 04:16:38|| 2003-03-17 04:16:38|| Front Page Top

#4 Hello Anonymus, what pot do you mean?

Posted by Murat 2003-03-17 05:09:19|| 2003-03-17 05:09:19|| Front Page Top

#5 Murat
I believe he means that festering pot of slime known as saddam's Iraq.

Posted by amomalus 2003-03-17 07:06:30|| 2003-03-17 07:06:30|| Front Page Top

#6 I wonder how long the Turkish military will stand back and let the civilian government operate against Turkish self interest.

Posted by Canaveral Dan 2003-03-17 07:35:54|| 2003-03-17 07:35:54|| Front Page Top

#7 A touchy situation. The best thing to do is for the Kurds to say that they'll absorb the refugees themselves, and for the Turks to let humanitarian aid through to be pre-positioned: Refugees tend to settle where there's food and shelter. If the Turks point back over the border and say, "Nothing here, it's over there", then they'll move on.

It's also time for broadcasts and leaflets to the northern Iraqui peoples telling them what they should do and where to go so they don't go into Turkey by accident.

Murat's right: it sure doesn't look to me as if the northern front option has been totally abandoned. However, we may be seeing the elements of a buffer force getting into place to prevent either side from starting anything. I think the Turks will act prudently, but I don't think all the kurds are listening to prudent Kurdish authorities. I can picture some whacko Kurd tribal leader pulling off some damn fool stunt to boost his prestige and bargaining position, getting in trouble, and appealing to fellow Kurds for help.

I do not blame you one bit, Murat, for being worried.

Posted by Ptah 2003-03-17 08:31:55|| 2003-03-17 08:31:55|| Front Page Top

#8 Somebody commented "I wonder how long the Turkish military will stand back and let the civilian government operate against Turkish self interest."

I would ask you what makes you sure that the Turkish military and the US are on one line?

Posted by Murat 2003-03-17 10:05:52|| 2003-03-17 10:05:52|| Front Page Top

#9 Because, Murat, both entities should recognize that Occalan, his spawn, and his fellow travelers are a threat to all freedom-loving people and that the elimination of those monsters is a service on behalf of humanity.

Posted by Dan Darling 2003-03-17 11:26:14|| [www.regnumcrucis.blogspot.com] 2003-03-17 11:26:14|| Front Page Top

#10 Playing both sides against the other in search of the best deal is one thing, but it would appear that the Turkish government has managed to get nothing from either Washington or Brussels.

Talk about stupid, considering that they're not exactly thriving under the status quo.

Posted by Hiryu 2003-03-17 12:27:49|| 2003-03-17 12:27:49|| Front Page Top

#11 Murat said, "From February 19 till now 2087 vehicles have been unloaded in the Turkish port of Iskenderun and right at this moment the ro-ro freighter âRepublica-Biromaâ continues to unload her cargo of 716 vehicles. "

Yeah...so they've been unloaded - but where are they now? Ready for use in the front line?? Anyone, anyone?

The fact that the Turks rejected our $15B aid package is says something which I believe is very ominous indeed. Perhaps it is a diversion...perhaps not. If it is not a diversion - it does not bode well at all. In fact, I think it is very, very threatening.

Yes, I'm not an expert and don't have the "inside scoop" but as someone who has followed this through what is available in the press, I can say that I have seen nothing, absolutely nothing, in the press that has given me even a teensy tiny indication of cooperation from Turkey. Quite the contrary. I think the Turks have created nothing but huge problems for us - all while slapping on the backs and calling us friends.

Perhaps Murat is right and the appearance of non-cooperation is all just a show. That would be nice. Nothing would make me happier than to find out that is true. But if it is, it's been an Academy Award winning performance from all concerned.

Posted by becky 2003-03-17 12:43:30|| 2003-03-17 12:43:30|| Front Page Top

#12 The Washington Post is reporting that Turkey will Allow US troops.

Posted by Arthur Fleischman 2003-03-17 14:43:31|| [www.untoldmillions.com/weblog_page.htm] 2003-03-17 14:43:31|| Front Page Top

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