10,000 Turkish Troops Invade Iraq - With Video
ISTANBUL, Turkey - Turkish troops launched a ground incursion across the border into Iraq in pursuit of separatist Kurdish rebels, the military said Friday - a move that dramatically escalates Turkey’s conflict with the militants.
It is the first confirmed ground operation by the Turkish military into Iraq since the U.S.-led invasion that toppled Saddam Hussein. It also raised concerns that it could trigger a wider conflict with the U.S.-backed Iraqi Kurds, despite Turkey’s assurances that its only target was the Kurdistan Workers’ Party, or PKK.
The ground operation started after Turkish warplanes and artillery bombed suspected rebel targets on Thursday, the military said on its Web site. The incursion was backed by the Air Force, the statement said.
Turkey has conducted air raids against the PKK guerrillas in northern Iraq since December, with the help of U.S. intelligence, and it has periodically carried out so-called “hot pursuits” in which small units sometimes spend only a few hours inside Iraq.
The announcement of a cross-border, ground incursion of a type that Turkey carried out before the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq in 2003 was a major development in its conflict with the Kurdish rebels, which started in 1984 and has claimed as many as 40,000 lives.
Turkey staged about two-dozen incursions in Iraq during the rule of Saddam, who launched brutal campaigns against the Kurdish population. Some Turkish offensives involved tens of thousands of troops. Results were mixed, with rebels suffering blows to their ranks and supplies but regrouping after the bulk of the Turkish forces had left.
(AP)
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Doesn’t this count as an act of war against the US?
February 22nd, 2008 at 8:57 amThe PKK are Commies supported by Ivan. Enough said
February 22nd, 2008 at 9:14 amSomehow, I think we’re handling this much like Musharif handled our little “ventures” into Paki territory for certain individuals … whether Sec. Ops or armed drones …
Perhaps we are letting [them] clean out this PKK rat’s nest?
February 22nd, 2008 at 7:49 pmTaking out anything with “Workers Party” in the title is always a plus! Go Turks!
February 24th, 2008 at 2:33 pmIf they were attacking the general Kurd population then we would consider it an act of war, but the U.S. supports taking out the PKK since they have been stirring up shit with Turkey and threatening the security and progress in Northern Iraq.
February 24th, 2008 at 2:41 pm