ANKARA, Turkey, Oct. 22, 2007
U.S. Urges Turkey Not To Invade Iraq
Turkey Sends Troops To Border; 8 Soldiers Taken Hostage By Kurdish Rebels
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Play CBS Video Video Turkey Amasses Troops Turkey is moving troops to the border of the northern Iraqi province of Kurdistan, after an attack by a Kurdish guerrilla group. So far American forces are staying out of it. David Martin reports.
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Video Kurds, Turks On The Brink After a Kurdish guerilla group blew up a bridge carrying Turkish soldiers, there has been increasing pressure within Turkey to retaliate. Elizabeth Palmer reports.
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A Turkish military convoy passes through a village in the province of Sirnak, headed for the Turkish-Iraqi border, Monday, Oct. 22, 2007. (AP Photo/Ibrahim Usta)
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Turkish Defense Minister Vecdi Gonul meets with U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates, in Kiev, Ukraine, Sunday, Oct. 21, 2007. The United States has been asking for caution on the part of Turkey in their response to attacks by Kurdish rebels, hoping to avoid a conflict that would destabilize northern Iraq, the most stable part of the country. (AP Photo/Sergei Chuzavkov)
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Demonstrators march with Turkish flags in downtown Istanbul, Turkey, Sunday, Oct. 21, 2007, during a protest against a recent attack on Turkish troops by separatist Kurdish rebels in southeastern Turkey. (AP Photo/Serkan Senturk)
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Pressure is increasing on the Turkish government to stage attacks against Kurdish guerrilla camps in Iraq. (AP Photo)
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Iraqi Kurds demonstrate against Turkish military threats in the oil-rich city of Kirkuk, Oct. 22, 2007. (Getty Images/Marwan Ibrahim)
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Photo Essay Turkey-Iraq Tensions Nation mulls cross-border military incursion into northern Iraq to chase Kurdish rebels.
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Interactive The Kurds And Northern Iraq Learn about the Kurdish people and their leaders, key cities in Northern Iraq and the potential for conflict with Turkey.
The increased dialogue led to one announcement by Iraq's president, a Kurd, who said Monday that Kurdish rebels will announce a cease-fire, as Turkey threatened to attack Kurdish guerrilla bases in northern Iraq.
Turkey is moving fire power and troops closer to Iraq as a border war threatens to become an invasion the United States desperately does not want to happen, reports CBS News national security correspondent David Martin.
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice called Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and the leader of Iraq's Kurdish region, Massoud Barzani, on Sunday to press the U.S. case for restraint from Turkey and Iraqi action against the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), department spokesman Sean McCormack said.
"We do not believe unilateral cross-border operations are the best way to address this issue," he said, describing Rice's call to Erdogan, whose government has threatened military incursions into Iraq to deal with the PKK. "It's important that there be action to counter the PKK."
"In our view, there are better ways to deal with this issue," he said, stressing that United States regards the PKK as a terrorist organization. "We think the best way to do this - and that is to address the PKK threat - is for the Turks and the Iraqis to work together to mitigate it and eliminate it," McCormack added.
"We are going to do everything we can to encourage Turkey and Iraq to work together to address what is a common threat," he told reporters, adding that Washington wants authorities in Iraq to step up their efforts against the PKK.
"She (Rice) underlined to President Barzani the importance of Iraq working actively with the Turkish government to counter what is a real threat to Turkish citizens," he said. "It's important that there be action to counter the PKK."
Erdogan said earlier that he had told Rice that Turkey expected "speedy steps from the U.S." in cracking down on Kurdish rebels and that Rice had asked "for a few days" from him.
McCormack did not dispute the account of the conversation but declined to comment on what Rice had meant by asking for "a few days."
As Rice was speaking to Erdogan and Barzani, McCormack said, the U.S. Ambassador to Iraq, Ryan Crocker, was making similar points in Baghdad with Iraqi President Jalal Talabani - himself a Kurd - who ordered the PKK to lay down their arms or leave Iraq, and Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki.
The spokesman added that he "would not be surprised" if White House officials, including possibly President Bush, followed up the Rice and Crocker conversations with Turkish and Iraqi officials.
"From our perspective this is a diplomatic full-court press," McCormack said. "We want to see an outcome where you have the Turks and the Iraqis working together and we will do what we can to resolve the issue without a Turkish cross-border incursion."
President Talabani said, and his office confirmed, that the PPK will issue a cease-fire later Monday. More details were not immediately available.
Turkish Foreign Minister Ali Babacan said his country will pursue diplomacy before it sends troops across the rugged frontier.
"We will continue these diplomatic efforts with all good intentions to solve this problem caused by a terrorist organization," Babacan told reporters in Kuwait where he was visiting as part of a tour of Arab states to explain Ankara's plans. "But in the end, if we do not reach any results, there are other means we might have to use."
U.S. intelligence believes Turkey will stop short of a full-scale invasion, adds Martin. So for now, says one military officer, the plan is to "stay the hell away from there and hope to God it doesn't get out of control."
In Other Developments:
(AP Photo/Burhan Ozbilici)
Ambulances decorated with Turkish flags drove around main streets, their sirens on.
Some 13,000 schoolchildren in Bilecik in eastern Turkey held a minute of silence while people marched down a main street, waving the Turkish flag, the state-run Anatolia news agency reported.
In Bursa, in northwest Turkey, some protesters walked to a military conscription office and asked to enlist to fight rebels.
Nevzat Uysal, a resident of the town of Sirnak, told AP Television he thought it was "better we go into northern Iraq, not to invade but to ruin the PKK, and accomplish our aims."
"We want parliament to take concrete steps on terror. We want peace and welfare to be established in the region," a resident of Yuksekova told AP Television.
Meanwhile, in Istanbul, about 2,000 protesters, mostly members of an opposition party, denounced the attack and urged the government of Prime Minister Erdogan to resign, the private Dogan news agency reported.
The rebel attack occurred four days after Parliament authorized the government to deploy troops across the border in Iraq, amid growing anger in Turkey at perceived U.S. and Iraqi failure to live up to pledges to crack down on the rebels of the Kurdistan Workers' Party, or PKK, based in northern Iraq.
Turkey says rebels periodically cross the border to stage attacks in their war for autonomy for Turkey's predominantly Kurdish southeast.
More than 30,000 people have died in the conflict that began in 1984.
Across the border in Iraq, in the oil-rich city of Kirkuk, about 2,000 protesters turned out for a demonstration on Monday against a potential Turkish incursion into the autonomous region of Kurdistan in northern Iraq.
Protesters marched to the centre of Kirkuk, waving Kurdish flags and banners calling for peace and dialogue with Turkey.
But Najat Hassan Ali, member of the central committee of Kurdish Party Organizations, said that while Iraqis preferred a peaceful resolution they were "ready to defend the borders of Kurdistan."
"We are ready to defend the sanctity of our homeland and the dignity of its people," Ali told AP Television.
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Add a Comment See all 48 Comments
- The US and Israeli trained and armed PKK has safe haven in the Kurdish north...it has done more to provoke Turkey than Iraq did to earn itself two invasions and an occupation. Perhaps the Turks should take a page out of the American and Israeli manual and murder thoussands of civilians with airstrikes on major cities and infrastructure... nothing wrong with that, is it? ...Yes there is! The problem lies with the American support and encouragement of this terrorist outfit which is trying to destabilize the entire region.
Mike Gravel is on the Alex Jones show now. He notes that orders came down from military contractor General Electric to keep him off the MSNBC debate. These people want eternal war and the profits forthcoming from this. He''s an anti-war candidate for the Democratic nomination and a decent chap. He got rid of the draft before--and the Regime is trying to bring it back. - Reply to this comment
- In 1994 America was only dissatisfied with the direction of the country. The neocons like yourself have angered us so you may not even have a party next year to cheer on. Morons all you family value party of god religious right wing reactionary nuts.
Posted by antoniof123
It''s all politics folks. It doesn''t matter if it is 1977, 1987, or 2007. Some things never change. Democrats today and Republicans tomorrow. One thing both parties can count on is that people have short memories and even shorter attention spans. - Reply to this comment
- While you neocons are still trying to get over Clinton''''s bj, 4000 young soldiers have died, fighting in Bush''''s war of greed.
What kind of fu c k ed up mind is that?
Posted by jerr11
But Clinton did not step-up to the plate and deal with terrorism. There is nothing worse than not trying. Our Choices are to do something now or let the threat grow larger and larger. - Reply to this comment
- John Stewart just signed on for 3 more years of the Daily Show. He should be retiring instead. Political satire writes itself with Bush as president.
- Reply to this comment
- jerr11
NOT at all but at least I have been there and saw. So spit all you want:) - Reply to this comment
- Kinda tell the truth like Mr.Cliton HUH?
Posted by jonesforch at 10:46 PM : Oct 22, 2007
While you neocons are still trying to get over Clinton''s bj, 4000 young soldiers have died, fighting in Bush''s war of greed.
What kind of fu c k ed up mind is that? - Reply to this comment
- This Liar-in-Chief has a hide thicker than bull scrotum.
Yep, puny little countries like you shouldn''t invade other countries.
Leave that to us.
LOL - Reply to this comment
- mh4cbs1
Kinda tell the truth like Mr.Cliton HUH? - Reply to this comment
- Think About It.
Bush tells Turkey not to Invade Iraq.
What a Pathetic Hypocritical statement. If Cheney and Bush were honest (LOL), they would have to say...
You want to Invade? Sure, but first:
1) make up stories about WMDs and Al Qaeada threats to your national security.
2) use fake color coded terror alerts to make your people so afraid they won''t ask questions and will write you a blank check to do whatever you want to.
3) Get your corporate media friends to act as your cheerleaders -- to glorify your weapons technology and military strength, wave flags on all their "news" programs, and marginalize and ridicule any of your critics.
4) Don''t mention the real reasons you are going to war (like Oil reserves, permanent military bases, regional dominance....
Do all of the above and you should have a very easy time in pulling off an Invasion of any country you want!
Oh yes, after you invade, when you encounter the resistance from the people who don''t like your boot on their throats, just call them "terrorists". - Reply to this comment
- So Turkey invades Iraq and Bushit says pretty please don''''t do that.
But Iran! There''''s another story! Time for WW3!
Posted by gkc99 at 08:09 PM : Oct 22, 2007
-There we go! add to that, PKK is a terrorist organization, and bylaw we should be fighting them deep, into their Northern-Iraq barren Caves. Jerusalem has ordered the Pentagon not to go after Kurdish PKK, because it''s a great instability tool to create it''s own Zionist satellite in Northern Iraq. A kind of No Man''s land until Second step of Great Israel is declared the same way Actual Israel has been declared to the World in 1948... Once this is done, Kurdish idiots will be slaughterd to be kicked into Syria or even Turkey, same way as with the Pals. - Reply to this comment
- Tidds&Beer ......
Why don''t YOU go over to IRAQ and get your head blown off for your IDIOT CONSERVATIVE PRESIDENT !! LIBERALS (like myself) aren''t stupid enough to fall for that ultra-patriotism garbage that the SHRUB administration is pushing. Shrub''s interference in the middle east (for his own personal vendetta) has destabilized the region ...... PERIOD !!!!! ....Your country at war ?! News flash genius ..... IRAQIS didn''t invade the US nor did they attack any US installation on foreign soil. Six (6) years after 9/11 and the US still hasn''t produced a weapon of mass destruction. So explain how our country is at war.
as always,
IMPEACH BUSH !!!!! - Reply to this comment
- bush and condoleeza telling turkey not to attack into iraq if they weren''t such hypocrites.
- Reply to this comment
- ===SOMETIMES YOU GOTTA'''' DO WAR TO WIN THE PEACE. NO MATTER WHAT THE PRICE.===
posted by tiddsandbeer
We are doing war - against the people who harbored the terrorist who attacked us, Afghanistan and the Taliban. Iraq did not attack us.
Also, turn off the d@mn capitals, you ****. - Reply to this comment
- ===IF ONE AMERICAN DIES OVER THIS IDIOT HEADED POLITICAL BLUNDER BY THE FAMOUS LEFT LOON MS. PISSLOSI, SHE WILL HAVE SEALED THE FATE OF HILLBILLY AS A PRESIDENT...THANK GOD!===
posted by tiddsandbeer
One American huh? And that do you think 3500+ dead Americans will get the Republicans? I don''t know if Hilary will win or not, buy your''re the looney if you think people will even give a s h i t about this. It would be just another death in a Republican folly of thousands. - Reply to this comment
- THEY SAY DOPE SMOKERS SUFFER SHORT TERM MEMORY LOSS....SO, HOW ALL AMERICANS FELT ON SEPT. 11, 2001 IS JUST A FLEETING BRAIN FA RT TO A LIB, BUT REMAINS A HEARTFELT STAPLE OF THOSE WHO KNOW BETTER.
SOMETIMES YOU GOTTA'' DO WAR TO WIN THE PEACE. NO MATTER WHAT THE PRICE. - Reply to this comment
- THANKS NANCY!
IF ONE AMERICAN DIES OVER THIS IDIOT HEADED POLITICAL BLUNDER BY THE FAMOUS LEFT LOON MS. PISSLOSI, (WHO EATS CHIT AND BARKS AT THE MOON)...SHE WILL HAVE SEALED THE FATE OF HILLBILLY AS A PRESIDENT...THANK GOD!
AGAIN I SAY, THE LEFT WILL SIT IN THE SANDBOX, COMPARE TOOTSIE ROLLS AND CAT TERDS, FIND "DIVERSITY" IN THEM, THEN DECLARE THEM "EQUAL"..
THE LEFT JUST DOESN''T GET IT...TOLERANCE CAN KILL YOU, ESPECIALLY WHEN YOUR COUNTRY IS AT WAR.
THAT''S A LIBERAL FOR YOU FOLKS!!
LOL - Reply to this comment
- So Turkey invades Iraq and Bushit says pretty please don''t do that.
But Iran! There''s another story! Time for WW3! - Reply to this comment
- CORRECTION:
And yet..they do not seem to be as STUPID as the United States. At least if they do cross the border, it is the one right next to them and they have the excuse of being attacked--we, on the other hand, had to go over 8,000 miles to get to a border, make up reasons to attack and now that everyone knows our reasons were lies--we have to make up reasons to stay. So which is more stupid--those who attack in retaliation to defend their own borders--or those who go halfway around the world to attack people who had done nothing to them and when they fvck it all to hell want the world AND the Iraqi people themselves to help bail them out? lmao.
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Posted by toldyouso21 at 06:52 PM : Oct 22, 2007 - Reply to this comment
- I doubt they even realize there IS a border and probably don''''t have a concept of "invasion" (they''''re not very smart, even for birds).
Posted by feedback3 at 02:50 PM : Oct 22, 2007
And yet..they do not seem to be as STUOID as the United States. At least if they do cross the border, it is the one right next to them and they have the excuse of being attacked--we, on the other hand, had to go over 8,000 miles to get to a border, make up reasons to attack and now that everyone knows our reasons were lies--we have to make up reasons to stay. So which is more stupid--those who attack in retaliation to defend their own borders--or those who go halfway around the world to attack people who had done nothing to them and when they fvck it all to hell want the world AND the Iraqi people themselves to help bail them out? lmao. - Reply to this comment
- Bush to Turkey: Wait your turn, we were there first.
- Reply to this comment
