Media Speculate on Army Intervention to Iraq

Turkey is discussing whether or not to carry out cross-border military operations into Northern Iraq.

Comments by politicians

On Friday, 25 May, Foreign Minister Abdullah Gül had said on television that if the army demanded cross-border operations, the government and parliament would support such decisions.

On a different TV channel, Prime Minster Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that the government would do "whatever is needed for the peace and happiness of our country". Both politicians emphasised that the military and the government were following the same policies.

Büyükanit had called for political consent

In his speech on 12 April, the Chief of General Staff Yasar Büyükanit had said that a military operation in Northern Iraq was necessary and would be effective. He said that if the political decision of allowing cross-border operations were made, the Turkish Armed Forces were "more than able" to carry them out.

America's reaction

Tom Casey, speaker of the US Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said that a military intervention would not be the solution. The American media has claimed that President George Bush would only allow limited operations.

Who would pay the price?

Emin Cölasan, columnist of the "Hürriyet" newspaper, declared in Friday's column that such operations would "bring trouble".

He added that it was clear, that soldiers would pay the price for a "Northern Iraq adventure". Meanwhile, Rahsan Ecevit, widow of politician Bülent Ecevit, said that her husband had called for operations in Northern Iraq two years ago, warning that "otherwise Northern Iraq would enter Turkey". (TK/AG/EÜ)