Pentagon Sees Little Turkish Appetite For an Iraqi
Kurdistan Incursion
Oct 17, 2007
AFP
WASHINGTON: Turkey has little appetite for military action against Kurdish
rebels in northern Iraq (Southern Kurdistan), a step that would have "enormous
implications" for Ankara as well as Washington, a Pentagon spokesman has said.
Geoff Morrell, the Pentagon press secretary, on Wednesday said senior US
officials urged restraint and a diplomatic solution to the crisis when they met
with their Turkish counterparts over the weekend in Ankara.
"The Turks are clearly frustrated they are clearly angry. But I also think there
is not a great deal of appetite to take this next step," said Morrell.
"It would be an enormous step. It would have enormous implications, not just for
us but for the Turks. I don't think there is any rush to war on the part of the
Turks."
Asked why US forces in Iraq did not take on the PKK, Morrell said "there is only
so much we can do at one time."
"We have our hands full dealing with Al-Qaeda, extreme elements of Jaish al
Mahdi, dealing with other terrorist elements and insurgents within Iraq. So that
is where our efforts are concentrated at this time," he said.
