Kurdish War: March 18, 2003

Archives

Western sources quoted "senior American officials" in Turkey as saying that Iraqi Kurds are ready to fight Saddam's regime and do so under US command. PUK and KDP fighters would operate under the direction of the US military. This is not only an attempt to limit bloody retribution attacks by Kurds against Iraqi Baathists, it is also an effort to thwart potential conflict between Iraqi Kurds and Turkish military forces. As we've reported, Turkey fears an independent Kurdistan forming in the wake of a post-Saddam Iraq. That could re-energize the Kurd war inside Turkey. The Kurds are worried Turkey will try to seize Mosul and Kirkuk, and their nearby oilfields. A subsequent press report said the US would take responsibility for "all movement" (presumably meaning all military movement) into and out of Mosul and Kirkuk.

 

Article Archive

Kurdish War: Current 2013 2012 2011 2010 2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001 2000 1999

X

ad

Help Keep Us From Drying Up

We need your help! Our subscription base has slowly been dwindling.

Each month we count on your contributions. You can support us in the following ways:

  1. Make sure you spread the word about us. Two ways to do that are to like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.
  2. Subscribe to our daily newsletter. We’ll send the news to your email box, and you don’t have to come to the site unless you want to read columns or see photos.
  3. You can contribute to the health of StrategyPage.
Subscribe   Contribute   Close