Turkey Takes Step Toward Iraq Operation

[seemslikeadream]

http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5g-JACY88KArTlsyzhy4MjrGPhiggD8S9ST584

By CHRISTOPHER TORCHIA – 4 hours ago

ISTANBUL, Turkey (AP) — Turkey moved closer to opening a new front in the Iraq war Monday, with the government asking parliament to approve a cross-border offensive against Kurdish rebels. Still, its leaders were reluctant to stage an incursion that could hurt Turkey's standing with Washington.

Parliament was widely expected to authorize the Cabinet's motion seeking authorization for a military campaign in northern Iraq, and NTV television said a vote would happen Wednesday.

But government spokesman Cemil Cicek indicated the government would not immediately order its troops across the border, possibly to see if the United States and Iraq attempt to crack down on the rebel Kurdistan Workers' Party, known by its Kurdish acronym PKK.

Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan's government twice acquired similar authorizations from the parliament in 2003, but did not act on them.

"Our hope is that there will be no need to use this motion," Cicek said. He insisted the only target was the separatist rebel group, apparently aiming to reassure Iraq's government in Baghdad and the Iraqi Kurds, who run their own administration in northern Iraq.

"We have always respected the sovereignty of Iraq, which is a friendly and brotherly country to us," Cicek said. "But the reality that everyone knows is that this terrorist organization, which has bases in the north of Iraq, is attacking the territorial integrity of Turkey and its citizens."

Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki said he was prepared to hold urgent talks with Turkish leaders to try to defuse the potential crisis. He plans an emergency meeting Tuesday with close aides to discuss the situation on the border.

[historian]

1. it was to be expected

after all, monster though he was, hussein kept everyone in line but bushie douche bag, who hadnt a clue about the region, didnt even know there was a thing as kurds. He thought everyone was an arab!!! so now there is no one to stop the kurds from rebelling and trying to claim some territory the turks arent going to allow it. Another supreme bush fuck up.