US warns Turkey against Iraq incursion, Erdogan decries 'double standards'

[tocqueville]

11 minutes ago

ANKARA (AFP) - The United States warned Turkey that a cross-border operation against Kurdish rebel bases in northern Iraq would be "unwise," drawing angry accusations from Ankara that Washington is using double standards in the region.

"We have repeatedly said that we believe that unilateral military action across the border with Iraq would be unwise," the US ambassador to Turkey, Ross Wilson, said in an interview with the NTV news channel.

He was speaking after Ankara on Monday urged Washington and Baghdad to act against the separatist Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), whose militants have enjoyed safe haven in the mountains of northern Iraq, signalling that it is ready to take cross-border action if they fail to do so.

Ankara says the PKK, listed as a terrorist group by Turkey, the United States and the European union, uses bases in northern Iraq as a springboard to launch attacks in adjoining southeast Turkey.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20060718/pl_afp/turkeykurdsunrestiraq;_ylt=Ai3YsRqroS.GnLxtdNsEhSeShMgF;_ylu=X3oDMTBjMHVqMTQ4BHNlYwN5bnN1YmNhdA--

[Sal316]

1. If the Brits hadn't effed up where Mosul went...

...none of this would be an issue.

[Dhalgren]

2. If Israel can bomb and invade Lebanon, why can't Turkey do

likewise in Iraq? :shrug:

[MikeNearMcChord]

3. It's because they don't have an effective

political action committee in DC. :smoke:

[Dark]

4. Why did they wait til now to do something?

Me thinks there is more to this than meets the eye. . .

[roamer65]

5. Eventually, Turkey will occupy Iraqi Kurdistan

Turkey absolutely will not tolerate an independent Kurdistan in the northern region of old Iraq. Period.