Turkish army chief denies US pressure led to Iraq pull-out

[Barrett808]

Source: AFP

Turkey's withdrawal from northern Iraq was based solely on military needs, the head of the army said in remarks published Saturday, dismissing "unfair" criticism that Ankara had bowed to US pressure.

"No one said 'withdraw'," General Yasar Buyukanit said in an interview with the popular Milliyet daily.

"This was a decision taken on military reasons altogether. There was not even a hint from politicians or foreigners to withdraw."

The general staff announced Friday it had ended a week-long ground offensive against separatist Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) rebels in the autonomous north of Iraq, pulling its forces out in the early hours of the day.

The withdrawal came a day after US President George W. Bush urged Turkey to end its withdrawal "as quickly as possible" and visiting US Defence Secretary Robert Gates personally put pressure on Turkish leaders during talks in Ankara.

Read more: http://www.turkishpress.com/news.asp?id=217579

[angstlessk]

1. ya know, when I heard this I thought..bet cheeney knew they were going to pull out

so he made the statement he wanted them to pull out quickly in order to make it look as if he had some sort of pull or threat to Turkey when in reality he 'backdated' his statement like he backdates his bonus stocks from halliburton! THESE FOLKS ARE EVIL, PURE EVIL!