Turkey deploys 1,357 troops in Northern Iraq

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2005-03/04/content_2646500.htm

ANKARA, March 3 (Xinhuanet) -- Turkey has deployed 1,357 military personnel in northern Iraq to fight against members of the outlawed Kurdish Workers' Party (PKK), said Turkish National Defense Minister Vecdi Gonul on Thursday.

Gonul was quoted by semi-official Anatolia News Agency as saying, "Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) have deployed 1,357 personnel in northern Iraq to fight against the PKK, gather information regarding the developments in the region and work as liaison officers under US forces in Kirkuk, Mosul and Tal Afar."

He added that such cross-border operations have been staged to pursue the terrorists in northern Iraq since 1992.

The PKK, which strives for an independent Kurdish state in southeast Turkey, launched an armed campaign against the Turkish government in 1984, and over 30,000 people, mostly Kurds, were killed in the violence.

Kurdish Worker's Party?

Hmmmm Worker's party. Oh a union. Ah So.

Socialists.

180

It's that they are a *kurdish* union party.

The Turks HATE the Kurds and they do not want a sovriegn state of Kurdistan.

If this is true they are probably operating in Iraq without our permission. It would be a major diplomatic embarrassment, again, if true.

I have seen MANY stories from this source evaporate into the nothingness they were produced from. While some will note that this source also runs AP reports, this isn't one of them.

Buyer beware and watch for other sources.

Oh look...now they're telling the truth and blaming Turkey for those 30,000 dead Kurds. Bit too late.

after all, it's hard work.

http://images.globalfreepress.com

peace

ANKARA - Turkey has 1,357 military personnel in the north of Iraq, said Turkish National Defense Minister Vecdi Gonul on Thursday.

Upon question of Republican People's Party (CHP) Mersin deputy Mustafa Ozyurek, Gonul said, ''cross-border operations have been staged within the scope of hot pursuit of terrorists in the north of Iraq since 1992 under fight against PKK/Kongra-Gel terrorist organization.''

''Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) carry out this mission with its 1,357 personnel in the north of Iraq. TSK personnel also gather information regarding the developments in the region. They also work as liaison officers under U.S. forces in Kirkuk, Mosul and Tal Afar,'' added Gonul.

http://www.turkishpress.com/news.asp?id=37929

he has been listneing to way too much chimpspeak**.

since about December that Turkey was massing something like 40,000 troops and was prepared to go into Iraq if necessary. They are eyeing the Kirkuk situation (Threat to Turkomen in Kirkuk). The Turks have also been urging the US to go after the PKK for a long time.

Let's see what happens next.

Republicans Plan Cuts in Foreign Aid
snip>
They plan to divert an additional $1 billion from a loan guarantee offered to Turkey in 2003 that has never been used, to pay for non-emergency items including non-security projects in Afghanistan, aid for the Palestinians, and military assistance to Pakistan and Jordan.

http://reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=politicsNews&storyID=7802958

Cutting aid is no way to make/keep friends.

expect some action up North in Iraq real soon.

the reality is that it and other affiliated associations are the US government.

...

It is in and through such associations that US political, economic and military policy is made and the American public subsequently "educated" to support policies that are not, and could not, be debated in public because of their illegality, audacity, complexity and, arguably, necessity.

...

America Gives Birth to New EuroAsia

Now, before you yell, "Conspiracy," you might want to think Necessity and Stability, particularly in light of the opening to Central Asia, the Caucasus and the new Europe provided by 9-11. Pull up Net maps of Central Asia, the Caucasus, and Europe. Once you've done that, consider what political, economic and military activities (defined as US national interests) the United States has underway in those regions. It is no less than the development of a US-dominated New EuroAsia that includes the "Stans," Ukraine, Chechnya, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Belarus, Romania, Bulgaria, Czech, Croatia, and Poland. Crazy? Hardly, it is a brilliant gamble. There are many compelling reasons to create a New EuroAsia with the US with a controlling interest.

...

ACPC was founded in 1999 and is chaired by former National Security Advisor Zibigniew Brezinski, former Secretary of State Alexander M. Haig, Jr., and former Congressman Stephen J. Solarz. ACPC, according to its website, is composed of more than one hundred distinguished Americans representing both major political parties and nearly every walk of life.

And who are those 100 Americans? Well, to name a few, there's Geraldine Ferraro, former Democratic candidate for vice president; Frank Gaffney, CEO of the Center for Security Policy whose board members include Doug Feith, Gordon Sullivan, CEO of the Army Association of the USA, and Bob Livingston of the Livingston Group; Elliot Abrams and Mike Leeden. And who would have guessed that Richard Gere and PJ O'Rourke would be members of the ACPC?

And the story gets routine and boring as it moves on. The honorary chair of the American Georgia Business Council (AGBC) is James Baker III. Its members include ExxonMobil, Northrop Grumman and Ernst &Young. President of the AGBC is S. Enders Wimbush, a senior fellow at the Hudson Institute and former Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC) and Booz Allen Hamilton employee. A trustee of note on the Hudson Institute is Al Haig. The same connections, whether through individuals or organizations, can be found for Ukraine and Belarus, as well as Turkmenistan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.

Six Degrees of Zibigniew Brezinski

http://www.onlinejournal.com/Special_Reports/021805Stanton/021805stanton.html


http://www.americanturkishcouncil.org/files/about.us/04.19.05.board.of.directors.pdf

http://64.233.167.104/search?q=cache:BTSHAg8lN2IJ:wwwc.house.gov/international_relations/108/89669.PDF+The+Feb.+15+Christian+Science+Monitor+described+a+situation+which,+to+anyone+familiar+with+American-Turkish+relations+&hl=en

Outside View: Turkish fears of U.S.
By William S. Lind
Outside view Commentator

Washington, DC, Mar. 1 (UPI) -- The Feb. 15 Christian Science Monitor described a situation which, to anyone familiar with American-Turkish relations in the post-World War II period, is almost beyond imagining: an American attack on Turkey.
http://www.washtimes.com/upi-breaking/20050301-122808-3702r.htm