Gates warns Turkey not to invade Iraq
SINGAPORE - Defense Secretary Robert Gates on Sunday cautioned Turkey against sending troops into northern Iraq, as it has threatened, to hunt down Kurdish rebels it accuses of carrying out terrorist raids inside Turkey.
"We hope there would not be a unilateral military action across the border into Iraq," Gates told a news conference after meetings here with Asian government officials. Turkey and Iraq were not represented.
Gates said he sympathized with the Turks' concern about cross-border raids by Kurdish rebels.
Yeah. We certainly wouldn't want one country to invade another over terrorism concerns.
Good grief.
3 comments:
Jerry,
Agreed, IF this is really the reason Turkey is considering invading Iraq, then it's pretty preposterous for the US to suggest they back off..
However, consider that the real reason for a possible invasion may have nothing to do with terrorism. And consider that Secretary Gates probably knows as much or more about what's going on in Turkey/Iraq as the leadership in Turkey with the massive resources available to him. Suppose that Turkey actually wants to invade and occupy northern Iraq because it's the part where the majority of Iraqs oil is located. The Kurdish occupied north is also the most peaceful section of Iraq. So it would be concievably the easiest part to take and occupy and 'absorb' into Turkey. Now IF this is the real reason behind Turkey sending troops into Iraq, the unwritten laws of international politics dictate that Sec. Gates just can't come out and say "we know what you're really up to, so back off" He instead has to spout some bland rhetoric like you quoted him as saying..
I know, a lot of what if's.. I'm just saying... I trust the media zero. I believe that everything "released" is actually only part of the story. For example, anyone still believe we invaded Iraq to destroy WMD's?
Just my .02 worth
Jim
Those are some interesting thoughts, Jim. To consider other possible motives behind the rhetoric is wise, and to believe what is said on the surface could be naive. It's a good reminder to be more careful of what I assume. I would not be surprised if some of your suggestions were in fact the reality of the situation.
Even so, it still bothers me. If what Gates said is what he meant, then it is hypocrisy for all the obvious reasons. If not, well then, why bother? It seems to me Gates could use more direct and official channels to communicate his (our?) position directly to Turkish officials, without any need to cloud the matter with nonsensical talk to the press.
Which is why I should probably stick to my pattern of posting about things I've been thinking about for some time, as opposed to "reactionary" posts such as this one.
Thanks for your comments.
Interesting topic timing, this just in. Several thousand Turkish troops just crossed the border into northern Iraq. "in pursuit of kurdish geurrillas" The plot thickens.. Personnally I'm glad that I'm in Baghdad, not Mosul at the moment. Mosul is in Northern Iraq.
Should be interesting.
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