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U.S. to open three huge US military bases in Iraqi Kurdistan
region
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Source : Hawlati Newspaper - Issue 238, May 30,2007 |
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U.S. to open three huge US military bases
in Iraqi Kurdistan region
31.5.2007
The USG Open Source Center translates the following
newspaper article from Kurdish
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Opening three US military bases and transfer of
Incirlik base to Kurdistan
May
31, 2007
Sulaimaniyah, Erbil, Duhok, Kurdistan region (Iraq)
Although it is expected that today responsibility
for security will be handed over to the Kurdistan
authorities, exclusive military sources have told
Hawlati that the US forces intend to open three huge
US military bases in the Erbil, Duhok, and
Sulaimaniyah areas. Meanwhile, senior peshmerga
forces' officials expressed their pleasure at such a
move.
The three bases will be located in Qaradagh (south
of Sulaimaniyah), Zakho area (north of Duhok), while
the third one will be based near Erbil. There is
also a possibility that the Incirlik base in Turkey,
opened in 1992, will be transferred to the Kurdistan
Region, which is heralded as an important
achievement by Kurdistan regional government
military officials who said they would welcome such
requests from the coalition forces.
However, some officials said the issue was not
mentioned and thought to be a remote possibility.
Kurdistan Region Armed Forces Spokesman Maj-Gen
Jabbar Yawar told Hawlati: "The coalition forces
have not made such requests so far and nothing was
mentioned about this in the general-command meeting
of the armed forces with (Kurdistan) Region
President (Massoud Barzani). However, we would
welcome such a request because we and the US are
allies. As far as I know, such a request was not
made."
Asked whether the US forces are unilaterally
entitled to embark on such an action, the source
said: "According to the memorandum signed between
the coalition forces and the (Kurdistan) region
president, they should inform us (of such actions).
As far as I know, no such plans are in the pipeline.
However, I do not know if such an action is
considered for the future or if it was discussed it
internally (presumably referring to the US)."
The source ruled out the possibility of transferring
Incirlik base to the Kurdistan Region, adding that
"I do not think the US will do that since Turkey is
an important country for the US and is a member of
the NATO, whereas we are a region inside a federal
country."
The (Kurdistan) Region's minister for peshmerga
affairs, Ja'far Mustafa, told Hawlati: "Such a
request has not been tabled officially and I am not
aware of it. If there is such a thing, the region's
presidency and the government should be aware of it,
especially given that responsibility for security
will be handed over to the Kurdistan regional
government today."
Regarding the transfer of Incirlik base to the
Kurdistan Region, he said: "If the US does that, we
will welcome it and that would be a good and
important achievement for us."
A few months ago, US infantry and air force surveyed
villages near Qaradagh administrative sub-district
for a day, throughout which they neither allowed the
locals to approach them nor allowed local officials
to visit them.
(Description of Source: Sulaimaniyah, Hawlati Weekly
in Sorani Kurdish -- weekly independent newspaper)
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