Wolfowitz: 20-30,000 Turkish, Italian, Spanish, Ukrainian Troops To Iraq

["David Quarter" <davidquarter@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

[from Rick Rozoff]
---------------------------
http://www.turkishdailynews.com/FrTDN/latest/for.htm#f10

Turkish Daily News
June 22, 2003

Turkey offers 1,200-1,800 soldiers to assist US in
Iraq

-[B]etween 20,000 and 30,000 allied troops from more
than a dozen nations will begin arriving in Iraq in
mid-August to replace some of the American forces
leading the military occupation there. The
international forces -- from countries including
Italy, Spain, Ukraine and Honduras -- would join
divisions led by Britain, Poland and perhaps another
country, possibly India, and assume responsibilities
for parts of central and southern Iraq.


The United States Deputy Secretary of Defense Paul
Wolfowitz declared that Turkey offered relief aid and
other assistance in the rebuild[ing] of Iraq, as well
as 1,200 to 1,800 troops.

According to a news article published in influential
American newspaper the New York Times, between 20,000
and 30,000 allied troops from more than a dozen
nations will begin arriving in Iraq in mid-August to
replace some of the American forces leading the
military occupation there. The international forces --
from countries including Italy, Spain, Ukraine and
Honduras -- would join divisions led by Britain,
Poland and perhaps another country, possibly India,
and assume responsibilities for parts of central and
southern Iraq.

The News York Times also reported that Pentagon
officials are negotiating with several other
countries, including some that did not support the
war. Defense officials have set aside their anger at
Turkey for refusing to allow American forces to enter
northern Iraq through Turkish territory during the
war, to discuss Ankara's offers of reconstruction
support.

According to the newspaper, the U.S. administration
officials met recently with the Turkish Foreign
Ministry's second-ranking official Ambassador Ugur
Ziyal, who offered relief aid and other assistance, as
well as 1,200 to 1,800 troops. "Turkey is eager now to
assist us in the reconstruction of Iraq," Mr.
Wolfowitz said. "That's just one example of a country
that has begun to move in our direction."

Assistant Secretary of Defense Peter W. Rodman
recently visited New Delhi to discuss troop
commitments with Indian officials. A cabinet committee
has yet to decide how to proceed, and the Indian
government has said it will consult other political
parties before deciding.

How many American troops will remain in Iraq depends
largely on the security situation there and how many
other nations ultimately send forces, officials said.
There are now about 146,000 American troops in Iraq,
just 5,000 fewer than at the peak of the war. About
12,000 troops from Britain and seven other countries
are also on the ground.