Turkey says it is ready to send troops into Iraq

updated 12:54 p.m. ET Oct. 9, 2007

SIRNAK, Turkey - The Turkish government has decided to seek parliamentary authorization for a cross-border military operation in northern Iraq to chase separatist Kurdish rebels there, a party official said Tuesday.

The decision, which follows deadly attacks on soldiers in recent days that outraged the public, came in a meeting between Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and officials from his ruling party, said a party official who was at the meeting. He asked not to be identified because he was not authorized to speak to reporters.

It was not clear when the bill would go before parliament, but the government wanted it to pass “as soon as possible,” the official said after the meeting.

The government needs approval from parliament to act when it wants to, although it was not clear whether the military would immediately choose to stage any cross-border operation or wait to see if the United States and Iraqi Kurds take robust action against the Kurdistan Workers’ Party, or PKK.

Ruling party leaders have previously taken a cautious approach to the idea of a cross-border operation despite accusations from opposition parties that the government is weak on terrorism. However, public anger is such that lawmakers are now likely to grant approval for a military offensive into Iraq.

The government said earlier it had begun preparations for a military operation into Iraq to pursue the rebels.

However, a statement released after a meeting between Erdogan and security officials did not say an operation would definitely occur. Turkey has said it would prefer that the United States and its Iraqi Kurd allies in northern Iraq crack down on the PKK.

“Institutions concerned have been given the necessary orders and instructions to make all kinds of legal, economic and political preparations to end the presence of the terror organization in a neighboring country in the upcoming period, including if necessary a cross-border operation,” the statement said.

The statement did not mention any preparations by the military, which declared months ago that it was ready for an incursion into Iraq.

In the last 10 days, more than two dozen people — including soldiers and civilians — were killed in southeastern Turkey in attacks by PKK rebels. Labeled a terrorist group by the U.S. and the European Union, it has fought government forces since 1984 in clashes that have claimed tens of thousands of lives.

The statement said the PKK was trying to increase attacks in order to disrupt economic, social and political development in Turkey that had sapped support for the group.

U.S. response
State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said the attacks were a “source of deep concern” for the Iraqis, Turks and the U.S. He urged Iraq and Turkey to cooperate against terrorists.

“If they have a problem, they need to work together to resolve it, and I’m not sure that unilateral incursions are the way to go,” he said. “Sovereign states make decisions about how best to defend themselves. We have counseled, both in public and private, for many, many months, the idea that it is important to work cooperatively to resolve this issue.”

The United States opposes a Turkish military operation in the relatively peaceful north of Iraq because it would complicate efforts to stabilize the rest of the country. Such an operation could be costly and inconclusive for Turkey, jeopardizing ties with Western allies, and hardening animosity among Turkey’s minority population of Kurds.

Defense Minister Vecdi Gonul said parliament would have to approve any large-scale operation into Iraq, but said Turkish troops were entitled to limited, cross-border operations if they were attacked by rebels from Iraqi territory.

“If we’re talking about hot pursuit, then there is no need for parliamentary authorization. If it’s a cross-border operation, then there is need for one,” Gonul said.

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