Conffederate
Confederate

June 06, 2007

Did AP Float a Turkey of an Invasion Story?

You know that AP story that Drudge linked this morning about several thousand Turkish troops crossing the border into Iraq?

Several thousand Turkish troops crossed into northern Iraq early Wednesday to chase Kurdish guerrillas who attack Turkey from bases there, two Turkish security officials said. Turkey's foreign minister denied its troops had entered Iraq. Two senior security officials, speaking on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to talk to the media, characterized the action as a "hot pursuit" raid that was limited in scope. They told The Associated Press it did not constitute the kind of large incursion that Turkish leaders have been discussing in recent weeks as Turkish troops built up their force along the border.

Well, maybe not so much:

Turkey has denied a report that several thousand troops had been sent into northern Iraq to combat Kurdish separatists hiding there.

"There is no incursion into any other country at the moment," Abdullah Gul, Turkey's foreign minister, said on Wednesday.

Earlier, the DEBKAfile website said 50,000 men had been deployed to the area.

Ankara described the report as "disinformation".

Hoshiyar Zebari, Iraq's foreign minister, said that there was no evidence that Turkish troops had entered Iraq.

"We have checked all along the border and there hasn't been any incursion or military operation inside Iraqi territory," he said.

"Iraq will not tolerate any military incursion. There is always room for dialogue."

A White House spokesman, in Germany for a G8 summit, also said that "no new activity" had been detected in northern Iraq.

An update of the AP article states that their anonymous original source still stand by their claims.

Who would you believe, three anonymous sources apparently in contact with a solitary reporter, or the two named foriegn ministers of the countries in question, and a named National Security Council spokesman?

With no other corroboration, it looks like this reporter has cried fowl foul.

Update: Looking back through the archives, it seems possible that someone other than the Turks are capable of accidental invasions. Anybody checked on the Swiss lately?

Posted by Confederate Yankee at June 6, 2007 01:25 PM
Comments

I believe the AP, they always get it right.

Posted by: Retired Navy at June 6, 2007 01:55 PM