Friday’s arrival of several hundred Turkish ground troops into northern Iraq’s Nineveh Province sparked immediate complaints from the Iraqi government, which insisted it was never consulted on, and certainly never signed off on, the deployment.
But while Turkish PM Ahmet Davutoglu insisted yesterday that no new troops would be sent to Iraq, the hundreds of ground troops already there are not going to be withdrawn, with FM Mevlut Cavusoglu saying the training operation is “our duty” whether Iraq approves or not.
Iraq says they intend to take up the matter with the UN Security Council, and that they view the Turkish deployment of troops into their territory as a violation of national sovereignty. The Turkish troops intend to train Kurdish Peshmerga forces there.
Former Turkish consul Aydin Selcen says he believes the deployment is meant to assert increased Turkish influence on the ISIS war amid growing tensions with Russia. The deployment, however, may instead be worsening Turkish relations with Iraq.
The question is: Who is running the Iraqi government….a puppet?
It seems apparent that the UN/NATO/USA is 'running' Iraq.
But when a 'gust' says screw you, I'm not leaving'. They cease to be a guest, now they're an intruder.
And you should already have plans for their removal.
Does anyone actually believe Turkey is going to "train Kurdish Peshmerga forces there" ?
The Turks are training Kurds? Obviously not the same Kurds they're bombing.
No-they support the Iraqi Kurds, but not their own. The whole sad situation is becoming a complete farce.
Interestingly the Turks
shoot down a Russian Jet that they allege overflew Turkish airspace, yet are quite happy in themselves to illegally occupy a foreign country against that countries sovereign Wishes!
Interestingly, Putin is making a big fuss about the shootdown and yet is quite happy to illegally occupy Ukrainian territory against that country's sovereign wishes. What's sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander!
While the turks have been making rens of millions a month shipping oil for kurds who no longer pay Iraq for it, that is but a concession to US that needs a Kurdistan that pays its way.
The extension of Turkish controlled Buffer xone by extendung its borders into Syria and Iraq lands was a US Euro nato bribe from the git go, not news.
Turks served as conduits for Lybian arms to Rebel groups in Syria for the US NATO and oddly have been aiding Israels Kurds who provide 80% of Israels daily needs for a long
while.
While genocide of Kurds in Turkey is a given this invasion occurs in same areas that US allowed Turkey to cross into IRAQ to kill PKK kurs all during embargo years.
Turkey is not blindly stumbling into this conflict but is following what NATO assigns; while not facing any military dangers to themselves and profiting hansomely as they help steal Iraq and Syrias oil.
"What NATO assigns". Classic racism.
You're right, NATO is racist.
Turkey should definitely respect Iraqi sovereignty – that's just the rules all nations have signed onto (though many seem not to care).
But, given the historical animosity between Turkey and the Kurds, we should at least see this as an encouraging and positive thaw in relations overall. Perhaps the Iraqi Kurds can be go-betweens to work things out between Turkey and the Kurds it sees as hostile. Perhaps the US should ask Iraq to give them some leeway…?