Turkey Calls for Withdrawal of Foreign Troops from Iraq

[True_Blue]

Turkey's foreign minister says foreign forces must withdraw from Iraq by the end of 2005, and that Sunday's elections are a first step toward returning control of Iraq to the Iraqi people.

Turkish Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul told reporters here Sunday that it was too early to say whether elections in Iraq would be fully representative. He was referring to Turkey's concerns that Iraqi Kurds will likely dominate voting in the oil-rich province of Kirkuk. Turkey has accused the Iraqi Kurds of resettling tens-of-thousands of their people in the province, in a bid to sway the election results in their own favor.

Control of Kirkuk could enable Iraq's estimated four million Kurds to establish an economically viable independent state, one that Turkey fears would fan separatist sentiment among Turkey's own estimated 12 million Kurds. Some analysts warn that Turkey's hawkish military may intervene in Iraq to prevent the Kurds from forming their own homeland.

Mr. Gul added that he saw Sunday's elections as setting a timetable for the withdrawal of foreign troops from Iraq. The United States has not announced a calendar for pulling out of Iraq.

more....
http://www.voanews.com/english/2005-01-30-voa33.cfm

[0007]

1. Is Turkey giving the U.S. the pitch?

[Rockerdem]

3. Hes blowing smoke

Its up to the Shiites. When they boot us, we have no choice other than to obey meekly.

[cliss]

2. Meanwhile, in Washington, the champagne

is flowing. Broad smiles everywhere. Many backs are being slapped. "I told you this was a great idea", says Bush, trying brazenly to take credit for the elections.

Someone points out that Bush in fact was against elections all along. Bush's great fear was that elections would stir up nationalist sentiment, and that's not good when a country is being occupied.

But Bush, being of very short memory, takes all the credit anyway. Many glasses are being clinked together today.

Tomorrow, the real work begins. The Bush administration has lots of work to do in Iraq. They need to finish the 14 bases in various places in the country. The US is building a new embassy in Baghdad, the world's largest. It will cost $1.5 billion, and will employ 3,000 people. John Dr. Death Negroponte will be the Ambassador.

There's lots of barbed wire that needs to be hung. Lots of people who need to be jailed. Many more cars which need to be inspected. After all, we've got 24 million of them, minus 100,000.

So - just for today, they're celebrating. The hard work begins tomorrow.

[underpants]

5. and $9 BILLION is missing

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x1197623

[daleo]

10. Maybe taxes go up tomorrow too.

Or Social Security gets it. All this fun doesn't come cheap.

[struggle4progress]

4. Ankara may not Recognize Election Results in Kerkuk

There is speculation on which strategy Turkey will adopt after the elections in Kirkuk (Kerkuk) in the wake of its tough warnings about the Iraqi city.

According to information received by Zaman, Turkish daily, from government sources, it is likely that Ankara will say that it does not recognize the elections in Kirkuk. Comments have been made that intervention by Turkish military forces is still an option that cannot be ignored though it seems unlikely. Deciding to participate in the elections 'to spoil the games played in Kirkuk', the Iraqi Turkmen Front (ITF) is also said to have held talks about on not recognizing the elections. Yunus Bayraktar, a Turkmen member of the Kirkuk District Council noted that they are considering not recognizing the election results because the election committee is not showing the required objectivity.

Turkish general Ilker Basbug, the Deputy Chief of Staff has expressed the Turkish army's anxiety about the security situation in Kirkuk in an announcement last week, saying, "If the result of the Kirkuk elections do not reflect all segments of society, there could be a conflict that would threaten Turkey's security." Following these remarks, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan gave a tough warning and said: "Any wrong step in Kirkuk could cost very heavily. Those who overlook this will have to pay theprice."

There is speculation of whether Turkey will intervene militarily if events lead towards conflict in Kirkuk, but this possibility is not being considered 'for now' in Ankara. Turkey would prefer to solve the issue through diplomatic channels, but if the result in Kirkuk paves the way for a risk of conflict, then Turkey will prepare its border troops. The sources say that Ankara is not thinking of transferring troops to the region, but is ready to put troops in the border region on alert if the situation worsens.

http://www.turkishweekly.net/news.php?id=3120

[underpants]

7. My first thought-Turkey just wants us out of the way

so they can come in and take the oil fields in the North. We know they need the oil (who doesn't?) 3/4 of the "missing" oil-for-food money was generated by selling oil to Turkey and India (Syria too) which everyone knew about.

Now Turkey can call for US troops to get out and sweep in to get their own "free" oil.

[Kimber Scott]

6. So, I wonder, is the US going to leave the Iraqi Kurds hanging again? nt

[Rex]

8. Did they ever care about them?

Since when does U.S. foreign policy give a shit about people who stand in the way of corporations?

[Redstone]

9. They want all the foreigners out so

they can go back to slaughtering the Kurds again with nobody to catch them.

(Though I do give them credit for denying us the bases for our jolly little war.)

Redstone

[Roland99]

11. That sound I heard was a nail behind hit upon its head.

;)