Top brass angered by Turkey air attack in Iraq

Top brass angered by Turkey air attack in Iraq
By Pauline Jelinek - The Associated Press
Posted : Tuesday Dec 18, 2007 19:21:06 EST

WASHINGTON — U.S. military commanders in Iraq didn’t know Turkey was sending warplanes to bomb in northern Iraq until the planes had already crossed the border, said defense and diplomatic officials, who were angered about being left in the dark.

Americans have been providing Turkey with intelligence to go after Kurdish rebels in northern Iraq. And a “coordination center” has been set up in Ankara so Turks, Iraqis and Americans can share information, two officials said Tuesday.

But defense and diplomatic officials in Washington and Baghdad told The Associated Press that U.S. commanders in Iraq knew nothing about Sunday’s attack until it was already underway.

They spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak on the record.

Their comments follow complaints by Iraqi leaders Monday that Turkey hadn’t coordinated with Baghdad before sending bombers to strike targets of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party, or PKK.


Rest of article at: http://www.armytimes.com/news/2007/12/ap_angrycommanders_071218/