U.S. Releases Turkish Soldiers

[KeepItReal]

"The United States on Sunday released 11 Turkish special forces detained in northern Iraq, Turkish news reports said, ending a standoff that strained efforts by the NATO allies to repair relations frayed over the Iraq war.

In the Sulaymaniyah raid, troops from the 173rd Airborne took the Turkish special forces and others into custody over an alleged plot to harm Iraqi civilian officials in the north, a Bush administration official said earlier Sunday."

http://www.newsday.com/news/nationworld/world/ny-woturk0707,0,5539774.story?coll=ny-worldnews-headlines

[IndianaGreen]

1. We took Turkish NATO allies to Baghdad as POWs?

The official said on condition of anonymity that some had subsequently been released. A total of 24 -- including nine Turkish soldiers -- remained in U.S. custody and had been taken to Baghdad, the official said.

This shit ain't over with, not by a long shot!

[acmavm]

2. I do believe you're right. Why in the world would they take Turkish

soldiers to Baghdad? Is this paybacks for the Turks not letting us use the southern part of their country for a launching pad for the attack on Iraq? Are the Turks up to something? They are pretty nervous about the Kurds.

Turkey is a NATO member. There has to be SOME reason, they just can't haul those guys away like your run of the mill Iraqi civilian. This can't be good. The Turks are squawking clear and loud about this too.

Oh well, just another day in the Middle East where absolutely nothing seems to go right for George & Co.

[StevenLee]

3. It looks like....

Those Turkish troops were going to assassinate an Iraqi offical (US Backed)...


"Senior U.S. officials speaking on condition of anonymity said the Turkish soldiers appeared to have been involved in a plot to assassinate a U.S.-backed Iraqi official.

One official said the plot appeared to be aimed at the governor of Kirkuk, a nearby city."


http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=thestar/Layout/Article_Type1&c=Article&cid=1057529409614&call_pageid=968332188854&col=968350060724