Iraq Foreign Minister Stands Firm on Turkish Troops

[Khephra]

snip......

Turkey was the only major country to agree to a recent U.S. request to send troops to Iraq to help its troubled occupation, but the Council -- 25 prominent Iraqis handpicked by Washington -- wants no forces from neighboring countries.

"The Governing Council feels it is better not to involve and engage any of Iraq's neighboring countries in peacekeeping missions because of the sensitivities of the whole issue," said Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari, in Malaysia for an Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) summit.

However, in an interview published in Monday's London-based Asharq al-Awsat newspaper, he hinted at compromise.

"The mission of Turkish forces must be limited to peacekeeping and not involve intervention in Iraq's internal affairs and also supply lines must be under the control of coalition and local or Kurdish forces," he said.

more.............

http://reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=topNews&storyID=3602863

[revcarol]

1. Oh, so now we have an Iraq FOREIGN MINISTER?

Since when is there a legitimate government in Iraq to have a Foreign Minister?

Even the chosen U. S. patsies are against this stupid idea. Maybe they are afraid of assassination for their collaboration with the real enemy: THE U. S.

[Barrett808]

2. He's also the one who says Muslims must accept the occupation

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=163678

[Rose Siding]

3. Poof! the detractors are Terrorists!

snip of slightly dif article>
"It is the duty of the government to determine the location of duty," said Gen. Metin Yavuz Yalcin, the head of planning.

Yalcin warned of the risks to the soldiers.

"No matter where the region is, there are risks," Yalcin said. "Even in an atmosphere that seems calm, no matter how our intelligence is, there's always the possibility of an instant terror attack like Sept. 11."

Parliament's vote to send troops came after a U.S. official gave assurances to Turkey that Washington would remove the threat posed to Turkey by some 5,000 Turkish Kurdish rebels that have bases in northern Iraq. Turkey and the United States consider the rebel group to be a terrorist organization.

http://www.newsday.com/news/nationworld/wire/sns-ap-turkey-iraq-peacekeepers,0,4185643.story?coll=sns-ap-nationworld-headlines