Turkish official: US will urge Iraq NOT to oppose a likely cross-border operation by Turkey.

[Flabbergasted]

http://www.todayszaman.com/tz-web/detaylar.do?load=detay&link=125307

US taking steps to avoid friendly fire in N. Iraq

US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rica has requested three days from Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan to allow the withdrawal of US troops from northern Iraq to prevent a possible confrontation of Turkish and US troops in the event Turkey starts an incursion into northern Iraq to strike against bases of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) terrorist organization, a Turkish official said.

The official, who wished to remain anonymous, also said the US will urge the central Iraqi government and the regional authority in northern Iraq not to oppose a likely cross-border operation by Turkey. The same source added that there is no plan to deliver PKK leaders to Turkey. However, the US could turn a blind eye to Turkey's operations, the source said.

Erdoğan told a news conference on Sunday after a crisis meeting with top civilian and military leaders that Turkey expected concrete steps to be taken by US authorities against the PKK after his talks with Rice. He spoke with Rice over the phone during the meeting. At a press conference following the meeting, Erdoğan said he told Rice that Turkey expected "speedy steps from the US" in cracking down on the PKK and that Rice had asked "for a few days" from him.


more...

[robinlynne]

1. WTF?

[Flabbergasted]

2. It's why Bush is not doing anything to stop the PKK. They want Turkey to invade.

Or they are impartial to the idea. The rest is all a formality to the Bush administration.

[Kagemusha]

3. Uh, do you seriously believe that?

Why would the US benefit from this?...

[Flabbergasted]

6. I'm not sure what the plan is but all the information indicates they want Turkey to invade

or don't care if they invade. There is little indication from the Bush administration that they consider this issue to be a priority.

Perhaps the US really can't handle the 20 plus training camps in Northern Iraq and want Turkey to take care of it.

Perhaps they want more NATO troops in Iraq.

Perhaps they want to inflame the Kurds and hope it will help destabilize Iran.

Perhaps Turkey will get an extra chunk of land as part of the whole deal.

Perhaps they want the Kurds to knock out the pipeline that stretches from Iran to Turkey. They've threatened to do this.

[Kagemusha]

8. None of those scenarios makes sense. The PKK doesn't kill Americans.

It's no skin off US troops' backs, so there's no reason why the US' ability to handle the 20+ training camps is even an issue. Not that the US would want to - that's taking troops away from "winning" the war elsewhere in Iraq...

Even evil people generally don't want things that do not accomplish their goals.

[Flabbergasted]

9. Alright "want" may be a strong word. However I don't think it's out of the

realm of possibility that a Turkish (NATO) presence in Northern Iraq may be seen as a benefit to the US. If we were to Bomb Iran it would make Iran think twice before infiltrating Northern Iraq. Turkey would be forced to choose sides.

[Kagemusha]

11. ...If a NATO ally has to "choose" sides it's not much of an alliance.

We'll see I guess.

[Flabbergasted]

14. There is also another possible benefit that is being realized as we speak and

confirmed by the article: Troops stationed in Northern Iraq can be moved elsewhere. Could be especially beneficial considering the redeployment of British troops.

[aquart]

4. Ummm. "Want" may be too strong. Really.

More like they don't have the smallest chance of stopping either party.

[Kagemusha]

5. That I'd believe. So Rice is getting us out of the damned way.

It's not much, but it's better than NATO countries shelling each other, in theory.

[Flabbergasted]

7. The problem could be fixed by bombing the training camps in N Iraq.

Why aren't they discussing this? It would anger the Kurds but what choice do we have?

[wtmusic]

10. Diplomatic ineptitude at its finest

Methinks no one at the State Dept. has a clue on how to handle this.

[Demeter]

13. Or Anything Else

[Demeter]

12. Bush Never Did More Than Barely Tolerate the Kurds

I hope the Kurds didn't even pretend to trust Georgie.

George believes if a people is in the way (like New Orlean's poor, occupying all that prime high and dry real estate in government owned and built public housing), then genocide is a legitimate answer to his dilemma.