Iraqi Tribes Oppose Turkish Forces

MOSUL, Iraq - Iraqi tribal leaders said Monday they oppose having Turkish forces in their country, with one official warning of possible violence if troops from Turkey came to Iraq.

"We totally reject having Turkish forces. We'll be forced to confront them. We want our Turkish brothers to reconsider," said Thameer al-Dulemi, the secretary-general of the Iraqi National League for Chiefs of Tribes. "If they come to Iraq, we'll have a Muslim-Muslim war."

"Our league will be the popular base for resisting this intervention," al-Dulemi told hundreds of tribal sheiks and leaders who had gathered from around the country. He spoke of a "Turkish-Zionist alliance" to undermine Iraqis.

Monday's meeting brought together Iraqis from different ethnic and religious backgrounds, including Kurds, Arabs, Shiite and Sunni Muslims. The tribal leaders rejected the idea of allowing troops from regional countries on Iraqi soil and condemned acts of violence and sabotage.

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