From: Adam <""4thwormcastfromthemolehill\"{at}the field.near
the bridge">

http://news.google.co.uk/news?q=turkish+troops+northern+Iraq&hl=en&um=1&sa=X&oi
=news&ct=title

Many many coverages.

Hum.

One wonders if DC or at least the local US HQ was pre-informed.

"Turkish security officials say several thousand Turkish troops have
crossed into northern Iraq to chase Kurdish guerrillas who operate from
bases there.

The officials tell The Associated Press that the raid is limited in scope
and that it does not constitute the kind of large incursion that Turkish
leaders have been discussing in recent weeks.

The last major Turkish incursion into northern Iraq was in 1997, when about
50,000 troops were sent to the region. The officials have not said where
the Turkish force was operating and have not said how long they would be
there.

The US military says it can't confirm the reports but is "very
concerned.""


Meanwhile Gul is denying...

"Turkish Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul denied Wednesday that Turkish
troops had entered neighboring northern Iraq in a cross-border operation to
hunt down separatist Kurdish rebels.

Turkish Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul denied Wednesday that Turkish troops
had entered neighboring northern Iraq in a cross-border operation to hunt
down separatist Kurdish rebels.

"There is no incursion into any other country at the moment," Gul
told reporters here. "


Note the use of "at the moment". i.e. this is true so long as
what's planned has either (A) ended or (B) not started.....

Oh joy.

My big worry in all this Iraq mess has been Turkey turning away from the
West & to the South.

People on the right in the US witter on about AQ....AQ ain't squat compared
to Turkey.

An "activist" Turkey in the ME.....lead by "islamists"
keen to push an alternative Islamist approach to  AQ/Saudi or
Hezbollah/Iran or Hamas/Muslim Brotherhood


Blimey this could get fun fast.

The reality in the ME is that there are only 3 "natural" powers:
Egypt, Persia/Iran, and Asia Minor/Turkey.

All the others are shooting stars either propelled by outside power
(Israel) or temporary resources (Saudi/oil rich Arab states in general).

Twas ever so. e.g. Eqyptians vs Hittites vs Persians (esp with the arrival of Cyrus).

External empires have always found this e.g. Anthony & Cleopatra,
Parthian wars etc.etc.

Adam

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