Turkish Troops Enter Iraq

There is a disturbing, but expected story coming out of Iraq, as Turkish troops crossed the border today.

Supported by air power, Turkish troops crossed into northern Iraq on Friday in their first major ground incursion against Kurdish rebel bases in nearly a decade. But Turkey sought to avoid confrontation with U.S.-backed Iraq, saying the guerrillas were its only target.

The offensive, which started late Thursday after aircraft and artillery blasted suspected rebel targets, marked a dramatic escalation in Turkey's fight with the PKK rebel group even though Turkish officials described the operation as limited.

Sky-Turk television said about 2,000 Turkish soldiers were in Iraq, operating against rebel camps about two miles in from the border. NTV television said a total of 10,000 soldiers were inside Iraq in an operation that had extended six miles past the frontier. The activity was reportedly occurring about 60 miles east of Cizre, a major city near the border with Iraq.

There should be a concerted effort to root the PKK from the Iraqi side of the border, so the conflict will not widen, and become an all out war. There is already enough fighting in Iraq, and throwing the PKK and Turks into the mix, will not help anyone stabilize this country!!


PKK