Turkish Officials Say Troops Enter Iraq

[Warpy]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/huff-wires/20070606/turkey-iraq/

ANKARA, Turkey — Hundreds of Turkish soldiers crossed into northern Iraq on Wednesday pursuing Kurdish guerrillas who stage attacks on Turkey from hideouts there, Turkish security officials and an Iraqi Kurd official said.

The reports came amid worries Turkey might launch an offensive against the rebel bases, touching off a conflict with U.S.-backed Iraqi Kurds in one of Iraq's most stable regions. The U.S. is urging its NATO ally not to strike, and Turkey's foreign minister denied any incursion occurred.

An American intelligence official in Washington, who agreed to discuss the tense situation along the frontier only if not quoted by name, said the reports of a border crossing should be treated with skepticism.

The official said some Turkish officials might be feeling pressure to show increasingly angry Turks that the government is responding to a recent escalation of attacks by PKK rebels, who are fighting for autonomy in Turkey's heavily Kurdish southeast. On Monday, for instance, Kurdish rebels assaulted a Turkish outpost and killed seven soldiers.
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Much more there. It doesn't sound bad now, but it could get bad rather quickly.

[aquart]

1. What are our NATO obligations here?

[Warpy]

4. THAT is why this can get very nasty, very quickly

What, indeed?

[Posteritatis]

6. I think it depends on whether Turkish troops fire on Coalition ones. (nt)

[lonestarnot]

2. more signs of destabilization

[necso]

3. The Turkish military would do well

not to get tied down in, preoccupied with, Iraq.

Already the wind shifts direction.

And it will gain strength.

[jwirr]

5. Does *ss have anything to gain by this? It seems to me he could

use some help with his surge. Would Turkey be playing his game?