Iraqi Peace force?

[ekrem]

In our analysis last week, we said that there would be three topics that would dominate the short-term future of Turkey, and one was the gradual withdrawal of U.S. forces from Iraq. According to the discussions in the corridors of power in Ankara, the U.S. force which is currently in Iraq will be replaced by a new force consisting of soldiers from Arab League countries. Turkey will be taking over the command of this force.


This is a plan acceptable to certain circles in Turkey.

...
..

The plan is also acceptable for certain circles who had declared in the past that the establishment of an independent Kurdish state in the region would be a reason for war. This could well satisfy the obsession with entering Iraq, which has become a taboo in Turkey. It would also reestablish the de facto control of the region. In other words, while Turkish-EU relations would continue on the back burner, Turkey would make a comeback in its own backyard. This would also mean an end to the internal fight over sovereignty and a return to the status quo.

...
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Scenarios which would make this plan impossible are also debated in Ankara. Those who think that the growing Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) activity -- and the remark by the prime minister that Turkey's patience is running out -- is a buildup to this are also preparing their counter-plans..

People opposing Turkey taking the reins of a new Iraqi force believe that this development would take Turkey away from the EU process and thus, would hasten internal conflict and could even lead to large-scale instability that may well have the intensity of a civil war.

Therefore, there are also plans to prevent this and force the AK Party from power -- claiming these plans could prevent a domestic conflict. For example, a broad-based Parliament that would play a leading role in the restructuring of the state.

http://www.thenewanatolian.com/htm/subs/opinions/006-2.htm

 

[LuvRPgrl]

I thought Turkey was one of those muslim countries that actually was fairly decent (by muslim country standards)

??

I have not gotten into the details of kurds, sunni's etc in the area,,but maybe it would be a good thing if Turkey gained control of Iraq'a north. I have heard repeatedly that Iraq isnt a true country anyways, just forced boundries by the Brits...

 

[ekrem]

Turkey is not an arab country nor in the "arab league"...

But Turkeys people are in majority muslims.
Pakistan for example isn't an arab country, too. but Pakistan is an possible potent candidate for such a peace-force.

These days Arab league chief Amr Mussa is in North Iraq to talks with Kurdish leaders. Barzani will come to White house these days.

Kurds will block politically any attempt for Turkish soldiers entering into Iraq, as they did 2 years ago. Maybe all this visits have to do something with this peace force?


That Turkey would controll North-Iraq is unlikely. As in North Iraq there is not much trouble besides "PKK" and "Ansar al Islam". Pakistanis could be deployed there.
Nato-Turkey would be deployed to sunni triangle, as 80% of Turks are sunnites, too. and in Sunnites area is the main trouble. Plus Turkey has experience in such missions (ISAF+Somalia). We have female Soldiers too. Arabs don't like men soldiers touching their wifes.

Egypt, Jordan, Algeria, Tunisia, Pakistan, Indonesia and soon could participate in such a peace force.
But of course, this is all hypothetical for now. But the source I posted here is based in Ankara and have near ties to Military circles.
There are 2 english-speaking newspapers in Ankara (capital). In Ankara noone speaks English or could be customer for these 2 newspapers than Diplomats and soon. All 2 newspapers have internet-edition, too, but primarily they are paper-newspapers. Later they added Internet-edition.
Anyway, no guarantee or justification for trueness of this article.

So, we have to wait. But your generals say that Iraq has only one batallion ready for service.
When US wants to leave, such a peace force is the logical step. And acceptance would be there too by Iraqi citizens, as this mission would be a peace-mission rather than occupation-mission. This could be a exit-strategy maybe becoming reality in the near future.


After all this, US Soldiers are free to finish the job one country eastwards --> Iran.
But when Turkey is given such a peace force, i dont think, Turkey will mix up Iran together with Brits, Anzacs, Israelis and USA by providing active soldiers to IRAN.

 

[nosarcasm]

the turks are not wanted in Iraq. The US supports the Kurds and
the bridge is burnt by the refusal of Turkey to let US troops
attack Iraq from their territory.

Because of the Ottoman empire not only the Kurds hate the Turkish
but so do most Arabs.

No go

 

[ekrem]

50 years ago to 10 years ago you would be right with your statement about Ottomans.

But things changed. Esepecially the view of intellectual Arabs.
They compare after-lawrence and rule under-Ottomans.

From this view things change in their minds seeing that turkey is the only nation where power is truely by the people and not by family-clans.

I wanted only to clear this for you. In personal view from a turk, current status and arab suffering puts a smile on my face. sometimes history itself is the best revenge.


by the way@ nosarcasm, it was only a possible exit-strategy. You are free to get out of this in Iraq on your own, when someone isn't welcomed there.

But don't get shocked when it comes to a scenario like this here mentioned..

 

[nosarcasm]

my comments was not meant to talk about the turks.

From a US perspective handing over Northern Iraq to the Turks has
no advantages. The Kurds would oppose it, the Sunni may welcome
it the Shiites would oppose it.

Then the US has to depend on the good intentions of Turkey
but still would be blamed for all the bad things happening in Iraq
because the US started the war.

In long run only the Iraqis can clean up their country and the
US is best off by deciding by themselves how to handle the transition.
all just my oppinion.

 

[ekrem]

yes but building up iraqi forces is progressing slow.
as i remember a US-Military personel statement, there is just one batalion ready nd Irqi Army ready to service in more than 2 years.

Plus noone says turks will enter Iraq alone. Muslim countries with leadership of turkey. Similarities with both Turkey and USA in the case of Somalia.

 

[LuvRPgrl]

I think the training of forces will grow in numbers exponentially. You have one guy training one guy, then two guys training two guys, then four training four, then 8, 16, 32, 64, 128, 256, 512, 1000, 2,000, 4,000, 8,000, see how quickly the numbers begin to grow?

 

[Annie]

yes but building up iraqi forces is progressing slow.
as i remember a US-Military personel statement, there is just one batalion ready nd Irqi Army ready to service in more than 2 years.

Plus noone says turks will enter Iraq alone. Muslim countries with leadership of turkey. Similarities with both Turkey and USA in the case of Somalia.

Not as slow as some would think, links at site. Also, Turkey should probably use prudence speaking of entering Iraq, with or without other Muslim countries...:

http://biglizards.net/blog/archives/2005/10/gen_pace_thirty.html

October 24, 2005
Gen. Pace: Thirty-Nine Iraqi Battalions "In the Lead"
Good News! , Iraq Matters , Military Machinations
Hatched by Dafydd

U.S. Marine Gen. Peter Pace, the new Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, was just this moment a guest on the Hugh Hewitt show, with Jed Babbin (of NRO fame) sitting in for Hugh. Gen. Pace dropped a rather stunning bombshell.

Babbin asked Gen. Pace for an assessment of the Iraqi fighting forces, and the chairman made the following points:

* There are now over 200,000 Iraqis either in the Iraqi army or the Iraqi police forces.
* There are over 100 battalions of Iraqi army now considered battle-ready; Gen. Pace said he believed it was actually 117 battalions (which matches other reporting).
* And in breaking news, the chairman stated that fully one-third of these battalions are already "in the lead" in fighting the terrorists. The other two-thirds are fighting alongside American troops but not yet ready to assume the lead.

Assuming that last figure is correct, that would mean at least thirty-three Iraqi battalions and as many as thirty-nine battalions of the Iraqi army (as many as 39,000 men) are actually taking the lead in fighting for their own country. This is incredibly good news... and even though Sachi is traveling, it deserves to be reported.

I doubt I'll be able to scoop the MilBlogs (some of which you can see blogrolled to the right) -- they probably got this same information weeks ago during one of their weekly breakfast briefings with Gen. Pace -- but at least I have the forlorn hope of scooping Prof. Glenn Reynolds at Instapundit!

(I will of course scoop the MSM with this good news... but that would still be true if I sat on it until Shrove Tuesday.)

Hatched by Dafydd on this day, October 24, 2005,

 

[ekrem]

I don't know what you mean with prudence speaking, but i will show you something, that is in accordance with this "Iraqi peace force"...


http://www.sabah.com.tr/altayli.html

It is in Turkish from newspaper and i will translate it now and it will give more details for this.



"Muslim peace force" in Iraq

Messud Barzani was accepted in the White House and welcomed. The same and even more attention was put on Jalal Talabani. The one is president of Iraqi Kurdistan, the other President of Iraq.
But Barzani's visit to the White House has no meanings and is no case with Iraqi Kurdistan.
Barzani was shouted to Washington to let him know what USA thinks about plans for Iraq. The USA wants to leave Iraq but doesn't want to leave chaos behind by leaving of Soldiers. The USA has come to the point, that leaving Britain and US Soldiers will replaced by a "Muslim peace force". From day to day this Plan is getting more and more clear.

US and Britain will leave and therefore Turkish, Egypt and Pakistani Soldiers will form a "Muslim Peace force" for Iraq. Even more Muslkim countries will join this peace force, but the biggest share will have these 3 mentioned countries. And from these 3 countries Nato-Member Turkey will have the biggest share of Soldiers and responsability.

On the last Visit of Recep Erdogan (Turkey Primeminister) in Washingon, this plan was given him by President Bush. After Erdogan consultateing with Turkish Military in Turkey, Erdogan send his "Yes, it is possible" back to Washington.
Yesterday we(Newspaper) talked to a memeber of the foreign Ministry of Turkey.
"To us, no inquiry was made, but we know that this plan is spoken much in Washington". Of course, this statement was no official statement.

And here comes Barzani's visit again to the attention. In The past Barzani said: "I and the Kurds do not want to see Turkish Soldiers in Iraq", and Bush told him now "Don't get shocked, you will see them in Iraq. To give him this message he was shouted to Washington.


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[OCA]

I thought Turkey was one of those muslim countries that actually was fairly decent (by muslim country standards)

??

I have not gotten into the details of kurds, sunni's etc in the area,,but maybe it would be a good thing if Turkey gained control of Iraq'a north. I have heard repeatedly that Iraq isnt a true country anyways, just forced boundries by the Brits...

Lol Turkey is a shithole.

 

[ekrem]

it relies on the eye of the watcher.