Turkey rattling sabres...

[zakur]

...says it has right to invade Iraq to attack Kurdish guerillas.

Story

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has again warned he could take action against Kurdish guerrillas in Iraq if U.S. forces did not stop the rebels infiltrating across the border into Turkey. "At the moment, frankly speaking, we do not see the efforts by the U.S. that we expect to see. We have expressed our views to that effect to the Americans," Erdogan said in an interview yesterday with Britain's Times newspaper. "There is a time limit. There is a limit to our tolerance," said Erdogan.

He said Turkey was within its rights under international law to defend itself from attack and drew a comparison with U.S. action against Afghanistan after the September 11, 2001 attacks.

"That mandate is provided for in international law," he said.

"If a country, if a people, if a nation are under threat, that country can do what is necessary under international law ... we would exercise that right in the same way as any other country could, would and did exercise that right."

 

[RandFan]

"If a country, if a people, if a nation are under threat, that country can do what is necessary under international law ... we would exercise that right in the same way as any other country could, would and did exercise that right."

Ok, and do what exactly?

 

[Hutch]

Ok, and do what exactly?

Oh, at a guess, they'll mass a couple of divisons along the border, maybe shoot a couple of Kurds a mile or so into Iraq, just enough to put pressure on the US to rein in the Kurds.

Still, this is one of many problems that have been buried due to the US presence in Iraq. Once we withdraw, and if (note, IF) the Iraqi government proves incompetent/to weak to control (at least in Turkey's opinion) the Kurdish population, well, let's just say things could get interesting along the border.

Don't think the Turks would do much unless really provoked, the chances of EU membership would probably go down the tubes, but it does give the US Command in Baghdad another headache to worry about...