[A-List] US Imperialism: Turkey

["annewilliamson" <annewilliamson@xxxxxxx>]

Turkish Troops Capture, Disarm 700 US Soldiers
Won't Permit US To Stage Operations From Turkey

3/10/03 10:28:19 PM
Der Spiegel

Iskenderun, Turkey -- [Translated by:
http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article1996.htm ]

http://www.spiegel.de/politik/ausland/0,1518,239423,00.html

IRAQ - NORTHFRONT

US Troop build up taunts Turkish Parliament

Despite the vote of the Turkish Parliament the movement of US troops on
the north front of Iraq is apparently continuing with undissipated energy.
Parliament President Buelent Arinc reacted with raging criticism.

Kiziltepe - Arinc criticized the activities on Sunday as disrespecting the
Parliament. The television images were unusually disturbing to him,
according to citations on Sunday in the Turkish press. This has challenged
Parliamentarians in the opposition, who likewise have shown there
disquiet, to put control mechanisms of the Parliament into action.

According to a report of the Turkish newspaper "Cumhurriyet" an incident
in Iskenderun on Sunday also caused irritation: At the exit of the harbor
toll area 700 American soldiers and units of the Turkish army had suddenly
confronted each other. The Turkish army then took their weapons and forced
them to withdraw.

The US Ambassador in Ankara attempted meanwhile, to play down the
incidents. It was only military material and soldiers, not "war troops."
For this reason [according to the US Ambassador] the Parliaments decision
was
not violated.

Stronghold Directly on the Border of North Iraq

Arinc's criticism is directed particularly at a new stronghold, with whose
buildup the US armed forces near the Iraq border have begun. The position
is going to serve as logistics center for 62,000 US soldiers, in case the
Turkish Parliament does eventually agree to the stationing of troops. The
stronghold, which Turkey had approved two months ago, is according
to official sources about 160 km from the border.

About 30 trucks with landing vehicles and supplies had left the Turkish
harbor on Sunday and they are expected to reach the stronghold 15 hous
later.

3500 soldiers are participating in the operation. A civilian airport is a
few km from the new stronghold, directly in front runs the largest road in
the
direction of the Iraq border.

Also the Turkish Army is preparing itself for an offensive.

Despite the No of the Turkish Parlement to an offensive war against Iraq
the Turkish army is itself continuing its military preparations. On Sunday
tanks were sent into northern Irak, according to a report of the news
station NTV. The tanks were brought across the border by trains on the Habur
crossing.

The convoy had first under close watch of the security forces of the
Democratic Party of Kurdistan passed the small city of Dohuk and then
turned towards a Turkish stronghold in the region of northern Iraq. The
television station didn't give an indication of the exact number of the
tanks.

During the last few days Turkey had moved about 500 military vehicles,
tanks, and other military material on the Iraq border. The Turkish general
staff characterized the buildup as contingency measure.

The Turkish Parlement had in the last few weeks refused the US wish to
station its troops in Turkey. The government had already hinted a new
decision may be forthcoming.

Whether the hint will be transformed into reality, is nevertheless
according to the recent reelection vote of the Turkish Parlement still
open.

The chief of the Turkish reform party AKP, Tayyip Erdogan, went as victor
from the elections and thereby could become the Minister President of
Turkey.
After the Parlementary election in November Erdogan was denied the
possibility
of taking office, since he had been convicted of Islamic propaganda.