Blasts, Gunfire Rock Iraqi City of Kirkuk

[NNN0LHI]

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20030823/ap_on_re_mi_ea/iraq_kirkuk_violence&cid=540&ncid=1480

KIRKUK, Iraq - Two huge blasts that appeared to be from artillery or mortar rounds and gunfire shook the northern city of Kirkuk late Saturday at the end of a second day of ethnic violence in which at least 10 people died here and in a city to the south.

There was no indication of who was shooting, but Turkomen and Kurds have been fighting for two days after the Kurds reportedly damaged a newly reopened Turkomen Muslim shrine on Friday.

American forces were not seen in Kirkuk Saturday night, but U.S. soldiers were part of the violence in Tuz Kharmato, 110 miles north of Baghdad a day earlier.

They killed two Turkomen tribesmen and wounded two others after the Americans were fired on when they arrived to quell the outbreak of ethnic fighting, said Maj. Josslyn Aberle, 4th Infantry Division spokeswoman. She said it was the first outbreak of ethnic conflict in the tense region since May.

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[Kbowe]

1. Iraq is a much safer plance now that Saddam is gone....

NOT!!!!

[Robin Hood]

2. This is the beginning of an ethnic war.

more ethnic cleansing, brought to you by the religious right.

[DuctapeFatwa]

3. Kirkuk is the capital of Kurdistan

It is unlikely that the bush regime realizes this, or that it would matter to them if they did.

They have played rentakurd and rentaturk for quite a while.

Fortunately, neither stability nor security either in the region or in the US have a prominent place on the agenda.

If they were, misunderestimating the Kurds would be a big mistake.

[DoYouEverWonder]

4. Here's the first part of this story

7 Kurds, 2 Turkish Soldiers Die in Clash

http://www.newsday.com/news/nationworld/world/wire/sns-ap-turkey-kurds,0,5159463.story?coll=sns-ap-world-headlines

ANKARA, Turkey -- Turkish troops clashed with Kurdish rebels in the country's southeast on Friday. Seven Kurds and two Turkish soldiers were killed, the military said.

<snip>

Two soldiers were killed and three were wounded, the military said in a statement. Earlier Friday, a military official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said nine soldiers were wounded.

<snip>

According to Turkish intelligence sources, about 4,500 rebels are holed up in mountain hideouts in northern Iraq. Another 500 are believed to be inside Turkey.

The United States has vowed to purge Iraq of terrorist groups and encouraged Turkey to pass an amnesty law. The Kurdish rebels are recognized as a terrorist group by Washington.

[DuctapeFatwa]

5. If you get WorldLink TV, watch for their "Good Kurd, Bad Kurd"

It is a very good piece for getting some background on the regime's policy regarding the Kurds.

The short version: While the Kurds who live in that part of Kurdistan that was proclaimed by the west 80 years ago to be "Iraq" are considered good Kurds, poor Kurds, victims of Saddam Kurds, yeah I guess we shouldn't have convinced them to start an intifada and then stand there and watch Saddam slaughter them Kurds.

The Kurds who live in that part of Kurdistan called "Turkey" on the other hand, are evil terrorists because we want bases in Turkey and we want the Turks to let us use their sons for cannon fodder and to staff death squads.

[StandWatie]

6. good summary..

It never failed to make me ill when the good "patriots" started gnashing their teeth and shaking their fist at Saddam for killing Kurds while US policy via Turkey is actually more brutal.

[0007]

8. The U.S. militar are recognized as a terrorist group by the Kurdish rebels

Even the Mafia is considered a terrorist group.

[0007]

10. The Mafia is a terrorist group!

If the terrorist are on your side they are called freedom fighters. Other wise they're a terrorist group.

[kentuck]

7. How many Turks are in northern Iraq?

And what is the history between the Turks and the Kurds? Is this area, which is supposed to be more friendly to US interests, a powderkeg just waiting to explode?

[neverforget]

9. Chaos and bloodshed is what God must want when He told Bush

to invade Iraq. :eyes: More compassionate conservative love :puke:

[IndianaGreen]

11. How long before Turkey invades Northern Iraq?

This is the sort of nightmare ethnic scenario that was predicted by the most pessimist among the war opponents before the invasion.

How will our Kurdish allies react to a Turkish invasion? What will the US do? Will we shoot at the Turkish army, a NATO ally?

[NNN0LHI]

12. The US killed more protesters in Kirkuk

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/3176965.stm

<snip>Two of those killed reportedly died when US soldiers opened fire during a Turkmen demonstration.

[IndianaGreen]

14. Turkmen are ethnic Turks

that found themselves living within the borders of Iraq at the end of the First World War.

We are gaining new enemies!

[radfringe]

13. all that "Whistleass" did

in invading Iraq was to create a flashpoint

There's a big target painted on Iraq and all the terrorist groups are zeroing in on it

so much for Whistleass bravado... "..we'll go it alone..." and "..bring 'em on..."

wonder what Whistleass's September surprise will be when he returns from vacation?

[IndianaGreen]

15. The "Bring 'em on" has certainly resonated

Can we say, exploded in our faces?