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Barzani calls for a Federal Democratic Parliamentary State in Iraq.
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US Deploys Troops and CIA agents in Southern Kurdistan
KO June 30, 2002 (The Kurdistan Observer) June 29, 2002 The London-based Al-Safir reported today that well informed diplomatic sources revealed to the paper that the US government is launching a security and military operation in Iraq. According to the source, US troops and intelligence services have been sent into the liberated areas of Southern Kurdistan from Jordan under a plan to overthrow Saddam Hussein. "Central Intelligence Agency chief George Tenet had personally visited [Southern Kurdistan] during his last tour of the region and had given orders to start the security plan after US President George W. Bush recently approved a decision to ask the CIA to overthrow Saddam," according to Al-Safir. The source also said that the new element in this military operation is the role given to the Jordanian King who has ordered his military officials to clear two military airports for the US forces. About 2,000 US troops have been deployed in Jordan so far and tens of those US soldiers along with CIA agents have been sent into Iraq. The sources said the US had begun a series of contacts with various forces among the Iraqi opposition, but there are great difficulties in forming a coalition similar to the Northern Alliance in Afghanistan. Intensive contacts are being held with both the Kurdish and Shiite opposition groups in order to establish a backbone for potential operations. The sources added that Washington had first approached Saudi Arabia, which refused to let its territory be used for any military attacks against Iraq. Al-Safir
concluded that the United States has drawn up a plan for emergency economic
assistance to Jordan in case its trade relations with Iraq suffer.
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