arch/ive/ief (2000 - 2005)

...seven thousand US soldiers arrived in Turkey
during the last two weeks....this number will increase to twenty-five thousand in July. ... 20
thousand marines to Kuwait ...
Fwd from a Middle East Activist:

This is the translation of an alarming report cabled by Iran's state-run
news agency (IRNA) and appeared in today's Kayhan Newspaper in Tehran.

Hossein Alizadeh
Campaign of conscience for the Iraqi People
Fellowship of Reconciliation
e-mail; Iraq@forusa.org
website: http://www.forusa.org/Programs/Iraq/default.html
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
+

Military build up in American bases in Qatar, Turkey

Damascus, Syria, Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA): Sources close to
Damascus-based Iraqi opposition forces told IRNA that more than 3 thousand
American troops have been recently stationed in the mountainous region of
South east Turkey bordering Iraq . These sources, speaking on condition of
anonymity, added that US plans to send a total of 25 thousand troops to
its military base in incerlik (south east Turkey) of which some 7 thousand
soldiers are already in the region. This is at a time when Americans are
preparing 3 major military air fields in Iraq Kurdistan (including Bamerli
base) for landing their C-130 planes. Earlier British newspaper
Independent indicated that CIA has selected a number of military airfields
in Arbil, Dahuk and Suleimaniyeh in northern Iraq to be used in imminet US
assault agaisnt Iraq.

Meanwhile the Alqanat Arabic news website quoted diplomatic sources in
Qatar's capital that the US Al-Adid military base in this Persian Gulf
State has been witnessing an unprecedented level of activity in the past
few days. Diplomats in Doha believe these military activities, which are
taking place immediately after recent US threats against Iraq, are
possibly in preparation for attacking this country.

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Subject: [iac-disc.] US Soldiers in Turkey for Iraq Operation?
Date: Mon, 01 Jul 2002 18:06:55 -0500
From: Rahul Mahajan <rahulm@mail.utexas.edu>
To: iac-discussion@yahoogroups.com

Hello, all. A rough translation of an article in the Turkish newspaper
Yeni Safak.

date of article is June 27, 2002.

In solidarity,

Rahul Mahajan

http://www.yenisafak.com.tr/arsiv/2002/haziran/27/g4.html

US Soldiers in Turkey

It has been reported that seven thousand us soldiers arrived in Turkey
during the last two weeks. Most of the American soldiers who arrived in
Turkey via large cargo planes have been settled in the ncirlik base near
Adana.

Apparently, the military buildup in the region is because of U.S. plans to
start an operation against Iraq in July or August.

It has been stated that US sent 7 thousand soldiers to Turkey for this
purpose in the last two weeks and that this number will increase to
twenty-five thousand in July. It has also been claimed that the U.S. plans
to maintain a force of at least 35-40 thousand persons during the Iraq
operation. According to the information received, U.S. has accelerated its
contacts with the Iraqi dissidents. The U.S. administration has been in
frequent contact mainly with KDP head Massoud Barzani, as well as
increasing its contacts with some Iraqi dissidents.

Kuwait would like Assurances.

At the same time, it has been learned that Kuwait would like security
guarantees from the United States. Kuwait has communicated to the United
States that they are worried that Iraq would strike them in case of a
possible war and thus would like a substantial military build-up near the
Kuwait-Iraq border. It's been learned that the U.S. has assigned 20
thousand marines to the task, which it found to be a reasonable request.
Reports indicate that a small number of the marines are transferred to
land, while the majority of them are kept ready at airbases. According to
information obtained from sources in the foreign ministry, the US has been
sending envoy teams to the regions in the past 10 days. The sources point
out that the envoys sent to Northern Iraq, Egypt and Saudi Arabia may be
connected to an operation against Iraq, and that they expect the region to
come under even more turmoil in January and February.

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>From the Bay Area Coalition to End the Sanctions on Iraq (ba-cesi)
e-list:

-----------------
"As-Safir" Beirut, Saturday, 29 June 2002.

American Forces In Northern Iraq

London - "as-Safir": Highly informed diplomatic sources have
disclosed to
"as-Safir" that the United States of America has begun to carry out a
plan
of security and military operations aimed at Iraq, that American
troops have
entered areas in northern Iraq, and that major bases have been set up
for
them inside Jordan.

The sources report that the Director of the Central Intelligence
Agency
(CIA), George Tenet, personally visited northern Iraq when he
recently
paid a visit to the region. There he gave orders to begin a security

operation immediately after President George Bush signed the order
empowering the CIA to topple Iraqi President Saddam Hussein. The
sources
said that the new element in the plan concerns the supposed role of
Jordan
and that King Abdullah II in agreeing to vacate two military
airfields in
Jordan to be used by the American troops. Some two thousand American
troops
have already landed in Jordanian territory. In addition, dozens of
soldiers
together with members of American intelligence, have been transported
into
Iraqi territory. The sources said that the Americans have begun a
campaign
of making contact with the numerous forces in the Iraqi opposition, but
that
great difficulties confront the idea of setting up an alliance
similar to
the "Northern Alliance" in Afghanistan.

The sources report that the United States presented the plan to Saudi

Arabia, but Riyadh reiterated its refusal to allow its territory to be
used for any military action against Iraq. It appears that the
matter was
taken to other countries to obtain their permission to use their
territories should that become necessary.

The sources said that the United States had presented a plan for
emergency
economic aid to Jordan in case its economic and trade relations with
Iraq
fall into a crisis.

-----------------------------

"as-Safir", Beirut, Friday, 28 June 2002.

The Turkish paper Yeni Safak, reported on 27 June 2002, quoting
sources in
the Turkish Foreign Ministry, that the US has transported about 7,000

troops via heavy transport planes to the Incirlik airbase near Adana in
the last two weeks. The paper added that Washington had begun to
strengthen its forces in the area after its decision to begin
military
operations against Baghdad within the coming two months. The paper said
that the number of US troops in Turkey would be increased from 7,000 to
25,000 troops during next month.