Arab League denounces Turkish troop deployment in Iraq

[Daneshmand]

Arab League denounces Turkish troop deployment in Iraq

Arab League foreign ministers attending an emergency meeting

AFP/ Cairo

Arab foreign ministers condemned on Thursday a Turkish military deployment in Iraq as an ‘assault’ on the country's sovereignty, demanding Ankara withdraw the forces.

The Turkish deployment ‘is an assault on Iraqi sovereignty and a threat to Arab national security,’ they said in an Arab League statement after meeting at the pan-Arab bloc's Cairo headquarters.

Arab League deputy chief Ahmed Ben Heli read out the statement at a press conference, in which he added that the Turkish troops ‘increased tumult in the region.’

Turkey announced on Saturday that it had begun withdrawing troops in a bid to de-escalate a bitter row with Baghdad and following a call from US President Barack Obama.

Earlier this month, Turkey deployed troops to a base in Nineveh province where it has a long-running training programme for forces battling the Islamic State jihadist group.

But at the Cairo meeting, Iraqi Foreign Minister Ibrahim al-Jaafari said Turkey has insisted on ‘using the term 'redeployment'‘.

‘They (the troops) would be relocated from one Iraqi area to another Iraqi area. Sovereignty is sovereignty, and the territories are one,’ he said.

Later at a news conference, the diplomat said Turkey must withdraw its troops as soon as possible, but said he understood it could take them ‘several days’ to do so.

Ankara had said the deployment was routine and necessary to protect the trainers, while Baghdad said it was unauthorised and protested to the United Nations Security Council.

 

[Abdullah S.]

Arab League should shut its trap. They're completely useless. At least Turkey is doing something. Iraq is like a free grazing land now. Anyone with enough power is allowed in.

 

[Daneshmand]

Arab League criticizes Turkey over dispute with Iraq

Secretary-General of the Arab League Nabil al-Araby attends a summit in Riyadh in this Nov. 11 photo. (Photo: Reuters)


Arab League, which convened in Cairo for an emergency meeting at the request of the Iraqi government to discuss Turkish troops in northern Iraq, condemned Ankara, deeming its acts as unsettling while viewing Iraqi concerns as rightful and grounded.

Earlier in December Turkey sent a contingent of additional forces to bolster its military presence in the Bashiqa camp near Mosul to train local forces in the fight against the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL). The move prompted a backlash in Iraq, sparking a diplomatic spat between Ankara and Baghdad. Last week, the Iraqi government brought the issue to the UN Security Council to demand the unconditional and full withdrawal of Turkish troops.

At first, Ankara said it deployed forces in coordination with the central government in Baghdad. The Iraqi authorities said they had never invited such a force and it happened without its approval and knowledge. To defuse tension, Ankara partially withdrew its forces from the camp and re-stationed them further north in the Kurdish region.

Unsatisfied with that, Baghdad pressed for the withdrawal of all Turkish troops, a demand yet to be met.

Speaking to reporters at the start of the emergency meeting of foreign ministers of 22 Arab countries, Arab League Secretary General Nabil al-Araby said, "We find the actions of Turkey, which crossed the borders of Arabic countries and entered their territories very unsettling, and we demand an immediate withdrawal."

"We view Iraq's concerns as legitimate, and we support its position to the end," he added.

After the meeting, Anwar Mohammed Gargash, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs of United Arab Emirates (UAE), has called on Turkey and Iran to withdraw their forces from Arab countries.

In this summer, the league also condemned Turkish air strikes against terrorist Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) targets in northern Iraq, calling Turkey's air operation in the area a violation of Iraqi airspace.

 

[Daneshmand]

Arab League should shut its trap. They're completely useless. At least Turkey is doing something. Iraq is like a free grazing land now. Anyone with enough power is allowed in.

Turkey is already withdrawing its troops after United States ordered Turkey to do so.

This emergency meeting was just a formality to show Arab unity against Turkey.

 

[TurAr]

So when the severed heads of those Iraqi soldiers who weren't fast enough in abandoning Mosul to ISIS ends up on pikes throughout the city, when ISIS seizes the millions of dollar worth of Western military equipment left behind by the deserting Iraqi army along with approximately 4 billion dollars in the Mosul bank, but most importantly when the Iraqi people were abandoned by their state to the mercy of possibly one of the most psychopathic terrorist organization, it isn't a big fvcking deal for Arabs but when Turkey decides to strenghten its decades old presence in Iraq against ISIS by deploying some reinforcements (No: 303, 8 December 2015, Press Release Regarding the Training Activity by Turkey in Bashiqa, Iraq / Rep. of Turkey Ministry of Foreign Affairs) every one loses their minds. Why? I mean I can understand the reaction by the Iraq's puppet regime, especially after what happened with Russia, but what's with the other Arabs?

 

[Daneshmand]

So when the severed heads of those Iraqi soldiers who weren't fast enough in abandoning Mosul to ISIS ends up on pikes throughout the city, when ISIS seizes the millions of dollar worth of Western military equipment left behind by the deserting Iraqi army along with approximately 4 billion dollars in the Mosul bank, but most importantly when the Iraqi people were abandoned by their state to the mercy of possibly one of the most psychopathic terrorist organization, it isn't a big fvcking deal for Arabs but when Turkey decides to strenghten its decades old presence in Iraq against ISIS by deploying some reinforcements (No: 303, 8 December 2015, Press Release Regarding the Training Activity by Turkey in Bashiqa, Iraq / Rep. of Turkey Ministry of Foreign Affairs) every one loses their minds. Why? I mean I can understand the reaction by the Iraq's puppet regime, especially after what happened with Russia, but what's with the other Arabs?

Their statement is quite direct.

As the report above clearly quotes them, the Arab nations have condemned Turkish aggression on Arab sovereignty and have denounced Turkey assaulting the "borders of Arab countries" (Please note that, the Arab league has used the plural word of countries and not a single country. Referring to both Iraq and Syria).

Basically Arabs are saying and demanding that Turkey should leave Iraq to the Iraqi people and their Ally. It is their decision made by 22 Arab countries and not only Iraq.

 

[KediKesenFare3]

Turkey is already withdrawing its troops after United States ordered Turkey to do so.

This emergency meeting was just a formality to show Arab unity against Turkey.

Nope. They just moved to North Iraq. At this very moment, they're in Iraqi Kurdistan.

 

[Daneshmand]

Nope. They just moved to North Iraq. At this very moment, they're in Iraqi Kurdistan.

As the Iraqi foreign minister above is quoted, he is saying that he understands that they might need a few days to completely leave Iraq, but the Iraqis want them out. Iraq has become very sensitive on this issue and is pulling all the strings, from Arab League to United Nations to every one else. As per international law when the central government of a country is demanding this, Turkey will lose the credibility and legal basis for being there.

And this direct and very harsh Arab League statement does not leave any room for negotiations. They are already calling it a Turkish assault and it is not only Iraq that is saying it but 22 Arab countries.

From Turkish point of view, it must be unfortunate but such are things.

 

[KediKesenFare3]

No, I'm not trying to argue against you. I kinda like you. It's just the reality. They're still in Iraq.

Irak'taki Türk askeri kısmen Başika'dan kuzeye çekildi

 

[Daneshmand]

No, I'm not trying to argue against you. I kinda like you. It's just the reality. They're still in Iraq.

Irak'taki Türk askeri kısmen Başika'dan kuzeye çekildi

I know

 

[HAIDER]

Its called Arab nationalism , eventually , like Iranian , Turkish are unwelcome . Wonder why Pakistan army keep distance from these conflicts.

 

[Oublious]

Its called Arab nationalism , eventually , like Iranian , Turkish are unwelcome . Wonder why Pakistan army keep distance from these conflicts.

Your pakistani citizen are fighting for iran in iraq/syria, so you are in war. Tommorow when deash blow up a bomb don't blame deash.

And for the so called Arab league, who cares?

 

[TurAr]

Their statement is quite direct.

As the report above clearly quotes them, the Arab nations have condemned Turkish aggression on Arab sovereignty and have denounced Turkey assaulting the "borders of Arab countries" (Please note that, the Arab league has used the plural word of countries and not a single country. Referring to both Iraq and Syria).

Basically Arabs are saying and demanding that Turkey should leave Iraq to the Iraqi people and their Ally. It is their decision made by 22 Arab countries and not only Iraq.

I know what it is. I'm saying only if they had show the same unity against the real threat instead of Turkey who's been training both Kurds and Arabs against ISIS for months, maybe they wouldn't have been in this mess. Maybe if they had cared for their own kind like how they pretend to do so in the little league of theirs, there wouldn't be such massive economic gaps between their countries where in most of them people chase lizards in the sand to survive from starvation while no more than couple hundred kms away, in the other Arab country people drive around with gold-plated Lamborghinis.

 

[Signalian]

Its called Arab nationalism , eventually , like Iranian , Turkish are unwelcome . Wonder why Pakistan army keep distance from these conflicts.

The answer is in your statement already

 

[HAIDER]

Your pakistani citizen are fighting for iran in iraq/syria, so you are in war. Tommorow when deash blow up a bomb don't blame deash.

And for the so called Arab league, who cares?

Don't worry, over 1000 TTP left to support ISIS when conflict start. And still TTP foot soldiers going from FATA and UK. Well......cancer is spreading.