- The United States has formally abandoned the prospect
of a northern front in the war against Iraq as Turkey has once again balked
at cooperating with the U.S. war effort.
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- But what is looming as a major crisis is the danger that
Turkey will militarily pursue its own agenda in northern Iraq.
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- Washington has been dismayed by the invasion of Turkish
troops into northern Iraq. Officials said thousands of Turkish troops have
crossed the border into Iraq in an operation that was not coordinated with
the United States.
-
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- "It would be notably unhelpful if [Turkish troops]
went into the north in large numbers," Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld
said.
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- Turkey has denied an invasion of Iraq, Middle East Newsline
reported. But at the same time Turkish authorities are believed preparing
to expel foreign journalists along the Iraqi-Turkish border.
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- "As an independent state Turkey does whatever it
pleases," Turkish Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul said. "We don't
want to be misunderstood and therefore we are discussing the issue with
our ally."
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- U.S. officials said Turkey has proven uncooperative in
efforts to send American troops through that country and toward Iraq. They
said Ankara has also delayed its agreement to allow U.S. aircraft through
Turkish air space for strikes on Iraq.
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- Officials said dozens of U.S. warships waiting off the
Turkish coast were ordered to leave the eastern Mediterranean and head
for the Persian Gulf. The ships were said to be containing about 20,000
troops from the U.S. Army's 4th Infantry division.
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- http://www.worldtribune.com/worldtribune/breaking_3.html
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