Truthdig - Ear to the Ground - Turkish Army Enters Iraq

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Turkish Army Enters Iraq

english.aljazeera.net

After bombarding the area with airplanes and artillery, Turkish forces entered northern Iraq, ostensibly in search of Kurdish rebels. It isn’t the first time Turkey has crossed the border, but one source described the force as much bigger—roughly 10,000 men—than previous incursions. A U.S. military spokesman in Baghdad, however, said he believed only a few hundred Turkish troops were involved in the operation.

BBC:

The Turkish army, which has thousands of soldiers on the border, said troops had entered the north on Thursday evening and were pursuing rebels.

It promised the force would “return home in the shortest time possible after its goals have been achieved”.

An air and artillery campaign preceded the land operation, the military added.

An unconfirmed report by Turkish TV channel NTV says 10,000 soldiers have crossed the border, Reuters news agency reports.

Read more

TAGS: army border iraq kurds military rebels turkey war

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By Louise, February 25 at 1:09 pm #
(761 comments total)

So, “… the offensive is limited in scale and troops will return as soon as possible.”

And, “Our armed forces will come back in the shortest time possible as soon as they achieve their objectives.”

Except for the missing - terrorist, Taliban and Osama - war by any other name is still war and they all use pretty much the same script. Proving once and for all - whether kings, potentates, prime ministers or presidents - when it comes to control no-one has ever had an original idea.

Especially a flippin’ republican!

Anyway, since other dim-bulbs have decided to fight in Iraq, can we bring our guys home now?

This might be a good time to remind folks, since roughly 650 AD various versions of more or less the same three factions have been killing each other in the splendid land we now call Iraq.

Now what on earth made any sane person believe a nincompoop like Bush could change the equation?

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By ElkoJohn, February 24 at 12:15 pm #
(41 comments total)

to quote my fellow cynics during our stay in Vietnam,
“it ain’t much of a war, but it’s the only one we’ve got”
-- and “war means job security”
-- but then of course there’s the song from my fellow war protesters
“where have all the soldiers gone, gone to graveyards everyone,
when will they ever learn, when will they ever learn?”

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By jackpine savage, February 23 at 7:37 am #
(703 comments total)

Will this spread into Kurdish areas in Iran? Will the Turks follow Kurdish “terrorists” who might slip across the border? If Iranian and Turkish forces clash in any way, will the US invoke NATO’s common defense clause?

The area looks a lot like the Balkans circa the early 1900’s. Then again, the Balkans look like the Balkans circa the early 1900’s too…

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By Leefeller, February 23 at 7:36 am #
(1233 comments total)

Creating problems or letting them fester

Minds that be, have let this fester only because they wanted it to. It is a grand plan to say, oh gee, there is a problem here. Now they can pursue it or not. When you look deep into the eyes of our government, there is nobody home. All the plotting and planning has to do with money and power. Pawns are not even in the equation.

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By minamoto no taira, February 23 at 6:16 am #
(62 comments total)

Hindsight is always 20/20.

Had the Allies at the end of WWI seriously pursued the formation of a Kurdish State, with all the problems the middle east is having today, THIS would not be one of them. We are now paying for mistakes we made in 1919.

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By Outraged, February 22 at 10:23 pm #
(869 comments total)

Re: GW=MCHammered, February 22

Point taken....one really has to wonder...who...just who could be the instigator of this “issue”. You know what they say, if the front door is locked, don’t be an idiot try the back! But seriously, I can’t for the life of me consider “who” THAT “MIGHT” BE! I think there are a few who need to scale back on those vicodin or percocet....wow!....I’m a new study on geopolitics....but this one’s a no brainer!

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By GW=MCHammered, February 25 at 8:37 am #
(Unregistered commenter)

Re: Re: GW=MCHammered, February 22

Ah well, now we know. In the news today:

“Oil prices neared $100 a barrel Monday with supply concerns heightened by a Turkish military incursion into northern Iraq and warnings by Iran against further international sanctions.”

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By cyrena, February 23 at 1:36 am #
(4164 comments total)

Re: Re: GW=MCHammered, February 22

Outraged,

You may be a ‘new study’ in geopolitics, but common sense rules the day in the study of anything. And you said it...if the front door is locked, (blocked) try the back!! Might as well cover the sides as well.

You’re right. It’s a no brainer. Like I said, basic common sense and critical thinking skills are useful across the board.

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By PatrickHenry, February 22 at 4:54 pm #
(1114 comments total)

Sold!

Our troops will gladly turn over all positions to the regions neighbors to help Iraq work their problems out.

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By GW=MCHammered, February 22 at 7:26 am #
(Unregistered commenter)

Undermined Glory

Now why would Bush allow the Turks to stroll in and steal our glory in Iraq? That would be like allowing Mexico in to undermine our economy!

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By Jim Yell, February 22 at 7:15 am #
(Unregistered commenter)

back and forth

I am not un-sympathetic with Turkey’s problem with civil unrest and terror coming from the Kurdish people both those historically inside the borders of Turkey and increasingly independant Kurds of Iraq.

It would really not do anyone good to see Turkey fragmented, but it is also easy to identify and even cheer the Kurds who have been abused by many of their co-religionists over political and sectarian differences.

Killing each other seems a very poor way to solve the problems. There is right on both sides and plenty of historical reasons to look with doubt on Turkey’s intentions, as well as the Kurds turn to terrorism.

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