Over the weekend, Ankara deployed approximately 600 additional troops to a camp in Iraq’s Ninevah province, close to the city of Mosul.
"It is our duty to provide security for our soldiers providing training there," Turkish foreign minister, Mevlut Cavusoglu, told Kanal 24. "Everybody is present in Iraq…The goal of all of them is clear. Train-and-equip advisory support is being provided. Our presence there is not a secret."
But the Iraqi government, viewing the move as a clear breach of sovereignty, condemned the action, and gave Turkey 48 hours to remove its troops.
But Turkey has refused to comply with the order, insisting it informed the Iraqi government of its actions, and that there was demand for Turkish support in the area.
"The military personnel for training will stay. Not because we them [there] particularly but because there is a demand from the Iraqi side," a Turkish official told reporters, according to the Guardian. "The discussion with the central government still continues."
Iraq had previously indicated that if Turkey failed to withdraw its troops, a complaint would be filed with the United Nations.
"In case we have not received any positive signs before the deadline we set for the Turkish side, then we maintain our legal right to file a complaint to the [UN] security council to stop this serious violation to Iraqi sovereignty," said Iraqi government spokesman Saad al-Hadithi, according to the Guardian.
Turkey’s actions were also condemned by the Arab League, which described the troop buildup as "blatant intervention." Nabil Elaraby, Secretary-General of the Arab League, released a statement saying that his organization would also support Iraq’s appeal to the UN Security Council.
Even the United States, one of Turkey’s key allies, has stressed that it does not support troop deployments on Iraqi territory without the consent of the central government.
While Turkey is ostensibly in Iraq to fight Daesh, also known as ISIL/The Islamic State, Ankara has, in actuality, been more focused on combating Kurdish militias. Russia has presented evidence that Turkey benefits directly from Daesh’s illegal oil trade, and thus has little interest in eliminating the terrorist group.
On Friday, Iran also said it has "irrefutable evidence" of Turkey’s involvement in illegal oil smuggling.
"Iranian military advisors in Syria have taken photos and filmed all the routes used by ISIL’s oil tankers to Turkey," Iran’s Expediency Council Secretary Mohsen Rezaie told reporters.
"If the Turkish authorities are unaware of the Daesh oil sales in their country, then we can provide them with such intelligence."
Ankara has faced intense criticism since the downing of a Russian bomber along Turkey’s Syrian border. An unprovoked attack, the incident left two dead.
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| 6 | Edit | Delete Airbus downed, SU24M downed, SAA gets hit by NATO planes in Syria, NATO soldiers move into Syria and northern Iraq unannounced. That's how an invasion starts. NATO wants to turn Syria into Libya. Reply 
| 7 | Edit | Delete This is a Turkish invasion of Iraq and the Iraqis have no other choice but to defend themselves . I agree they should formally ask for Russian assistance for they both are facing a common enemy here. Reply 
| 4 | Edit | Delete www.veteranstoday.com/2015/12/07/turkey-sets-up-isis-airbase-outside-mosul Reply 
| 3 | Edit | Delete Zhukov, NATO doesn't want an Iraq that is stable either. They thrive on chaos because it enables them to expand the areas they control. I'm convinced that they want to turn the entire Middle East into Libya, and they will turn the Russian Federation into another Libya too if they are given the chance. Reply 
| 4 | Edit | Delete If someone refuses to leave, you pull the ground out from underneath them so that they have no place to stand. If they are trespassing you have the right to protect that ground. The arrogance of Turkey must be met head on. I would see to it that these troops were met head on by knocking out and capturing their equipment. Flooding the area with smoke and then send in the Hezbollah or the Iranian Guard, capturing everyone alive. Send them home in their underwear and boots only. Reply 
| 1 | Edit | Delete Mikhas, Get real. Turkey wants to pick a fight with Russia in any way it can. You send in your special ops under cover of darkness and send them home with a good beating. Reply 
| 0 | Edit | Delete Mikhas, Better still, send in Kadyron and the Chechens. They have been looking to mix it up with some of their own who are fighting on the side of the Daesh for some time now. And judging from some of their appearances, they look like they can take a punch. Want to join me in making a contact or two? I know people in his area. Reply 
| 3 | Edit | Delete Interesting is the fact that Turkey is in immense rush after being practically banned from Syria and is now pushing in Iraq. The agenda is all the time same, they want to destroy Kurds and to obtain territory from North down to the south which they would like to use as corridir for building gas and oil pipeline from Gulf States all the way to EU. That would be very lucrative for Turkey as they would pay a bit to ISIL to control corridor and themselves cash all transit fees as well as extra profit. They believe that they have upper hand in this busines as EU and them successfully blocked Russia. However it is very questionable if EU will be willing to cooperate with terrorist state and it might just order to Romania to open up their borders fro South Stream. However Russia wont be interested in that project as now North Stream is getting to start and it will be able to fulfil EU needs. Further more as the Germany will be direct beneficiary from this new line there is no problems with obstacles.
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| 0 | Edit | Delete Possession is 9/10th's of the law. Once Turkey secures their expanded border, it will be impossible to remove them. Ands seeing how it's soaked in oil, chances are they won't give it up until there's no more oil. Reply 
| 1 | Edit | Delete Come on people, Turkey is acting in full coordination with the United States and NATO. The plan is to recreate the Middle East into small vassal states with puppet governments reporting to Washington. The United States is the wing man flying cover for Turkey's illegal actions. What a great plan to counter Russia. Having Russia and Turkey confronting each other while knowing full well Russia would not dare to retaliate militarily and start a war with NATO. Using Turkey as the point man to do the dirty work keeps the United States skirts relatively clean while the United States avoids a direct confrontation with Russia. Turkey is protected from attack under the NATO umbrella and the US/NATO criminals are free to act out their crimes through Turkey. As far as sanctions are concerned against Turkey I am sure that the United States has made arrangements with Turkey to offset any adverse financial pain they may incur. So, Turkey takes some heat, but in the mean time the US/NATO cabal get's to recreate the Middle East into a bunch of vassal states with puppet governments reporting directly to Washington and as a dividend they get to humiliate Russia. The US/NATO strategy is now clear, there two components to the strategy: The first is to recreate the ME into smaller more controllable vassal states with puppet governments, the second which by the way is also second in importance is the liquidation of ISIL. This leaves Russia with a very serious dilemma. Russia cannot confront Turkey without confronting the United States and NATO causing a world war on it's own and diplomacy will get Russia nowhere as the die is cast. Eventually Russia will be forced to use the oldest human reaction, which is fight or flight. This confrontation is for all the marbles if Russia backs down it will be viewed as a loser and the criminals of the US/NATO cabal will appear undefeatable and Russia will have no choice but to with draw from the world stage and become a nation isolated and under siege. Reply 
| 1 | Edit | Delete Excellent suggestion!
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| 2 | Edit | Delete Nineveh and Anbar would be a great grab for the U.S. via NATO Turkey. Link these two parcels with Hasakha, Raqqa, and Deir ez Zoir in Syria and this is the next best thing to getting all of Syria. Partition Iraq and Syria to recreate east/west Germany, North/South Korea, or ultimately like Vietnam with complete failure. Reply 
| 1 | Edit | Delete Its time for a Turkey shoot if Erdogan refuses to pull out his troops from Iraq. Reply 
| 0 | Edit | Delete Just kill them, one by one. Easy peasy. Reply 
| 1 | Edit | Delete Send the Shia militia to start guerrilla warfare. This is the only language that the Turks understand. Declare Turkey as a country not welcome in Iraq and that its airplane will be targeted. Reply 
| 0 | Edit | Delete Ik vertrouwde die Erdogan al niet toen Putin naar Turkije ging ..ben allang blij dat hij veilig terug is
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| 1 | Edit | Delete Russia should get UN approval to oust Turkish invaders the way the US did Iraq in 1991 when Iraq overtook some Kuwaiti oilfields. Reply 
| 1 | Edit | Delete Treat them like any other group of invading terrorists. Reply 
| 1 | Edit | Delete Turkey is asking for trouble and it will find it. Turkey's ambitious and careless policy puts in jeopardy the international security. Russia is the only nation that could respond to Turkey's irresponsible acts of terrorism. Reply 
| 0 | Edit | Delete dog gone erdogan
Show new comments (0)Zhukov
Randall Lee Hilburn
jaodernein
Randall Lee Hilburn in reply toZhukov(Show commentHide comment)
marcanhalt
marcanhaltin reply toMikhas (Show commentHide comment)
marcanhaltin reply toMikhas (Show commentHide comment)
slimyfox
In my opinion Turkey just shot themselves in a foot and I believe it will be just a matter of time when they will be kicked out of NATO. Once that happen there will be panic in Turkey but still not much as USA will despite all odds stand behind Turkey and support them. However USA alone is useless as USA has strength only through NATO. On itself is capable to demolish only small countries. However Iran would be beyond their reach especially after they receive S-300.
I wonder what will Russia do if invited by Iraq to help them as that would still be potential flash point with NATO, unless Germany, France and few other demand that Turkey should be kicked out. However such demand would be very critical for NATO as USA desperately needs Turkey for their own interests, and these not necessarily coincide with Turkish.
uranus.hertz
hopscotch64
Jetsin reply toMikhas (Show commentHide comment)
Two thumbs up.
Ivan Buckeye
Matthewbleu2
dearing19992
landauroj
suske
Deze man heeft hoogmoedswaanzin en denkt dat hij door zijn lidmaatschap bij de NAT[V]O alles kan maken...nou Erdogan..IK VOORSPEL JOU ..EEN MAN KAN DIEP HEEL DIEP VALLEN..EN DAT DOE JE DUS OOK..het kan lang duren..maar jij word uit de NAVO gegooid ..eens is het geduld aan de andere kant op..ONBETROUWBAAR KRENG!
sorry voor een ieder op deze site voor mijn woorden..maar moest het even kwijt
Zhukov
tanksbb
Anas Drak
Igor R
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