(New York Times) Sandra Mackey - Situated next to 40% of Iraq's proven petroleum reserves, the population of Kirkuk in 1957 was 40% Turkmen and 35% Kurdish; the rest were Arabs, Assyrians, Armenians and others. In the late 1980s Saddam Hussein pushed many Kurds out of the city and replaced them with Arabs. Turkish nationalists still regard Kirkuk as historically part of Turkey, and Ankara asserts guardianship over the Turkmen ethnic minority in northern Iraq. The Turkish military makes no effort to hide its plans to send troops to thwart the Kurds' claim to Kirkuk.
2005-02-11 00:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive