Turkey moves troops to Iraqi border
The Turkish military on Sunday began moving troops in western Turkey to its border with Iraq, strengthened its security force along the rugged border area ahead of a possible US war against Iraq.
Turkey has said that in case of war it will likely move troops into neighbouring northern Iraq to prevent any flow of refugees into Turkey.
Observers believe however, that the real aim of the mission would be to prevent the creation of a Kurdish state in northern Iraq in the aftermath of a war.
Some 50 soldiers, carrying rucksacks and rifles, boarded a train bound for the southeastern city of Gaziantep at Istanbul’s Haydarpasa station on Sunday. Military vehicles and other supplies were loaded on to another train.
Private NTV television said the soldiers were part of some 800 troops, from infantry, artillery and tank units, and based in northwestern Tekirdag city, who are being moved to strengthen Turkey’s 2nd Army – a force based in southeast Turkey and in charge of security in the region.
Military officials were not available for comment.
The military announced last week that it was shipping additional supplies to the Iraqi border to strengthen capabilities in the southeast if there is a war. The military is apparently also filling vacant positions in its 2nd Army.
Many positions in the force were kept empty during peace time.
On Friday the country’s top civilian and military leaders endorsed basing foreign troops in the country – a move that could open the way for US soldiers to use Turkey as a base for military action against Iraq, and for Turkey to deploy troops in Iraq.
But the leaders still face the hurdle of getting parliament, which overwhelmingly opposes war, to back the deployment.
NTV television said Washington was pressuring Turkey to approve troop basing before February 8, when parliament breaks up for a week-long religious holiday. Asked when parliament would take up the issue, Prime Minister Abdullah Gul told reporters today: “We shall see in the coming days.”
Turkey was a staging point for air raids during the 1991 Gulf War, and the US has reportedly asked Turkey for permission to base up to 80,000 soldiers in Turkey.
Turkish officials however, are reluctant to back a war on a fellow Muslim country, fear a war could destabilise the entire region and endanger its fragile economic recovery. They have asked Washington to scale back its request to some 20,000.
In an attempt to avoid public panic over fears that Turkey could be dragged into a war in Iraq, the military said last week shipments to the southeast were a “precaution” and did not mean that Turkey would participate in a US attack.
However, Turkey has made clear it would intervene if developments in Iraq threaten Turkey’s interests, especially if Iraqi Kurds, who already enjoy autonomy in northern Iraq, declare an independent state.
Turkey fears such a move could inspire autonomy-seeking Kurdish rebels in Turkey.
