- The US continues to irritate allies in its strong arm
bid to invade and control Iraq. Most recently Turkey has become increasingly
annoyed about several recent provocative incidents in northern Iraq and
the border of Turkey. These continued troop movements further indicate
the impending Anglo-US military onslaught against Iraq is rapidly approaching.
-
- The following is a translation of a der Spiegel article
whose link is at the end of the translation:
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- IRAQ - NORTHFRONT
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- US Troop build up taunts Turkish Parliament
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- 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.
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- Stronghold Directly on the Border of North Iraq
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- 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.
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- 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.
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- 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.
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- Link to German article: http://www.spiegel.de/politik/ausland/0,1518,239423,00.html
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- Translation by Martin S. White (NAICR)
-
-
- "I had no knowledge of these attacks, nor do I consider
the killing of innocent women, children and other humans as an appreciable
act. Islam strictly forbids causing harm to innocent women, children and
other people. Such a practice is forbidden even in the course of a battle."
-Osama Bin Laden, October 17, 2001
- ----------------------
- Martin S. White
- National Alliance for Individual and Constitutional Rights
- http://www.naicr.org/
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