Iraq and Turkey See Tensions Rise After Ambush

[ProSense]

Iraq and Turkey See Tensions Rise After Ambush

Demonstrators marched in Istanbul on Sunday to protest an ambush of Turkish soldiers by militants.

By SABRINA TAVERNISE
Published: October 22, 2007

ISTANBUL, Oct. 21 — A brazen ambush by Kurdish militants that left at least 12 Turkish soldiers dead touched off a major escalation in Turkey-Iraq tensions on Sunday, bringing fears that Turkey would retaliate immediately by sending troops across the border into Iraq. But Turkey’s prime minister said he delayed a decision, after Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice personally intervened.

The ambush by a large group of Kurdish militants about three miles from the border with Iraq early on Sunday was seen as a direct provocation on the part of the militants, who have increasingly staged raids into Turkey from hide-outs in the mountains of northern Iraq.

It was the most serious attack in recent memory by the militants, separatist fighters of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party, or P.K.K., and came only four days after Turkey’s Parliament formally approved contingency plans for military retaliation across the border.

Such action by Turkey, a NATO ally, would be extremely embarrassing for the United States, which has military control over the territory that the Turks are threatening to invade. Moreover, a Turkish advance into northern Iraq would instantly bring fresh troubles to a country where the United States is preoccupied with trying to manage a civil war. And it would most certainly complicate stability in the broader region, which is generally antagonistic to American policy. Iran made remarks criticizing American policy on Sunday. Syria did the same four days before.

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Bush opened a Pandora's Box with his unilateral illegal war.

[cal04]

1. Turkish Prime Minister warns US

Turkish Prime Minister warns US: we will attack Kurdish rebels in Iraq
Recep Tayyip Erdogan tells The Times that he needs nobody’s permission to defend his country
Turkey will launch military action against Kurdish rebels in northern Iraq despite frantic appeals for restraint from America and Nato, its Prime Minister has told The Times.

Speaking hours before the PKK, the Kurdish Workers’ Party, killed at least 17 more Turkish soldiers yesterday, Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that Turkey had urged the US and Iraqi governments repeatedly to expel the separatists but they had done nothing. Turkey’s patience was running out and the country had every right to defend itself, he said. “Whatever is necessary will be done,” he declared in an interview. “We don’t have to get permission from anybody.”

Mr Erdogan, who begins a two-day visit to Britain today, also offered a bleak assessment of relations between the US and Turkey, a country of huge strategic importance to Washington. He said that a “serious wave of antiAmericanism” was sweeping Turkey, called America’s war in Iraq a failure, and served warning that if the US Congress approved a Bill accusing the Ottoman Turks of genocide against Armenians during the First World War, the US “might lose a very important friend”.

(snip)
Mr Erdogan’s belligerence will cause alarm in Washington and London, and was probably designed to do so. One aide said that he was engaging in “open diplomacy”. The Kurdish regional government, which has a force of about 100,000 men, has promised to resist any incursions. The PKK is threatening to destroy pipelines carrying Iraqi oil to Turkey, and the only peaceful region of Iraq could easily be plunged into chaos.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/europe/article2710139.ece

[Eurobabe]

4. IMHO it has more to do with American disaster in Iraq

ie: dead innocent children, women and men and a whole lot less to do with HR 106. Most Turkish people I've spoken with over here don't even know what HR 106 is/was, but they sure know about the pictures of the slaughter from TV.

[karynnj]

2. What an enormous mess n/t

[ProSense]

3. Turkey: Convoy moves to Iraq border

Turkey: Convoy moves to Iraq border

By VOLKAN SARISAKAL, Associated Press Writer
Mon Oct 22, 6:33 AM ET

SIRNAK, Turkey - Dozens of military vehicles headed toward the Iraq border and protesters demanded tough action against Kurdish rebels on Monday, a day after 12 soldiers were killed in an ambush. The attack has pushed Turkey closer to a possible incursion into Iraq to target insurgents hiding there.

An AP Television News cameraman saw a convoy of 50 military vehicles, loaded with soldiers and weapons, heading from the southeastern town of Sirnak toward Uludere, closer to the border with Iraq.

It was unclear whether the vehicles were being sent to reinforce troops engaged in fighting with rebels on Turkish soil, or were preparing for possible cross-border action. Tens of thousands of Turkish troops are already deployed in the border area.

The pro-Kurdish Firat news agency, based in Belgium, released seven names that it said were those of Turkish soldiers allegedly abducted by separatist fighters in the ambush Sunday. It said an eighth soldier was also captive but did not release his name. Turkey's private NTV television has reported eight soldiers missing, but the government has not confirmed the report.

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