-Caveat Lector- http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml? xml=/news/2003/03/20/wturk20.xml/ Turkish troops mass on border By Harry de Quetteville in Silopi (Filed: 20/03/2003)
Up to 70,000 Turkish troops were massing on the country's border with Iraq yesterday, preparing to launch lightning raids to create a 40-mile buffer zone in Kurdish northern Iraq when war begins. The news of the build-up came as Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the prime minister, confirmed that US forces would not be allowed to use air bases for strikes against Iraq. But he was seeking parliamentary approval to open up Turkey's airspace for US aircraft to pass through. Asked whether the request would allow US planes to use Turkish bases for purposes such as refuelling, Mr Erdogan said: "No, none of these are in it [the motion]." A source close to the Turkish government said earlier that US and British planes now operating out of the giant southern Turkish base of Incirlik, patrolling the seven-year-old no-fly zone over northern Iraq, would not be allowed to take part in bombing raids. Turkey's deployment of ground troops to seize a military buffer is intended to prevent a repeat of the refugee crisis during the 1991 Gulf war, when an estimated 500,000 Iraqi Kurds streamed across the Turkish border. It is also designed to prevent Kurds in Iraq establishing an independent state which could foster separatist dreams in Turkey's own large Kurdish population. Turkish troops are also reported to be ready to make isolated strikes to prevent Iraqi oil towns such as Kirkuk from falling into the hands of the Kurdish irregular army in Iraq, known as the peshmerga. In Silopi, the Turkish frontier town 10 miles north of the Iraq border, the majority Kurdish population is concerned that a heavy-handed military intervention will lead to clashes between the Turkish army and the peshmerga. In a side street cafe of this town where jobs are few, men kill time watching the latest developments on 24-hour news television and discussing the fate of fellow Kurds on the other side of the border. "Kurdish people have never been treated well, have never seen good times," said 24-year-old Ahmed. "Now maybe the Kurdish people in Iraq will have to fight Turkey as well as Saddam." 19 March 2003: Turkish leader rushes to clear way for US force 18 March 2003: Kurds hope their dream of statehood will at last come true 17 March 2003: US steps up pressure on Turkey 16 March 2003: Woman warriors ready to die for Kurdish state 14 March 2003: Turkey bans pro-Kurdish party 8 March 2003: Turkish tanks and troops move to Iraq border External links Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs Patriotic Union of Kurdistan History of the Kurds and Kurdistan - World History Archives © Copyright of Telegraph Group Limited 2003 Forwarded for your information. The text and intent of the article have to stand on their own merits. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. section 107, this material is distributed without charge or profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving this type of information for non-profit research and educational purposes only. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "Do not believe in anything simply because you have heard it. Do not believe simply because it has been handed down for many genera- tions. Do not believe in anything simply because it is spoken and rumoured by many. Do not believe in anything simply because it is written in Holy Scriptures. Do not believe in anything merely on the authority of teachers, elders or wise men. Believe only after careful observation and analysis, when you find that it agrees with reason and is conducive to the good and benefit of one and all. Then accept it and live up to it." The Buddha on Belief, from the Kalama Sutra <A HREF="http://www.ctrl.org/";>www.ctrl.org</A> DECLARATION & DISCLAIMER ========== CTRL is a discussion & informational exchange list. Proselytizing propagandic screeds are unwelcomed. Substance—not soap-boxing—please! These are sordid matters and 'conspiracy theory'—with its many half-truths, mis- directions and outright frauds—is used politically by different groups with major and minor effects spread throughout the spectrum of time and thought. That being said, CTRLgives no endorsement to the validity of posts, and always suggests to readers; be wary of what you read. CTRL gives no credence to Holocaust denial and nazi's need not apply. Let us please be civil and as always, Caveat Lector. ======================================================================== Archives Available at: http://peach.ease.lsoft.com/archives/ctrl.html <A HREF="http://peach.ease.lsoft.com/archives/ctrl.html";>Archives of [EMAIL PROTECTED]</A> http://archive.jab.org/[EMAIL PROTECTED]/ <A HREF="http://archive.jab.org/[EMAIL PROTECTED]/">ctrl</A> ======================================================================== To subscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SUBSCRIBE CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED] To UNsubscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SIGNOFF CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED] Om
