The Hindu : U.S. preparing ground to secure oil fields?

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Feb 26, 2003

International

International

U.S. preparing ground to secure oil fields?

By Atul Aneja

MANAMA FEB.25. The U.S. fighter jets today raided three Iraqi ground to air missile sites near the oil city of Mosul ahead of a Parliamentary vote that will make Turkey key staging post for a U.S.-led attack through northern Iraq.

The air raids launched from Turkish bases are being interpreted as part of preparations to demolish Iraqi defences before the U.S.- led coalition launches a full scale ground attack to seize Iraq's northern oil fields. Iraqi oil reserves — the second largest in the world after Saudi Arabia — are mainly located in the north around Mosul and Kirkuk or around Basra in the country's South.

The U.S. since the last few weeks has also intensified air attacks around Basra — a move that could help its forces to capture Iraq's southern oil fields and undermine the possibility of Iraq positioning its surface-to-surface missile launchers in this area.

Analysts point out that there is a general agreement among the U.S., Turkey and the Iraqi Kurds residing in northern Iraq, so far, that the U.S. troops should quickly establish direct military control over Mosul and Kirkuk soon after the war begins. The implementation of this plan has acquired some urgency as there are reports that the Iraqis might blow up the oil fields in the north and the south soon after the war begins.

The U.S. has justified the intensification of its air raids, by pointing out that they are meant to enforce the no-fly zone provisions of the early nineties in northern and southern Iraq.

Debate likely

Contrary to expectations, Turkish Parliament has not passed the motion on Tuesday that will allow the U.S. to station its forces in Turkey and use Turkish territory to transit troops into northern Iraq. Turkish authorities have said that the tabling of this resolution was expected later today, but the debate on it was likely only on Wednesday. The Turkish Prime Minister, Abdullah Gul, has said that Turkey and the U.S. negotiators are still discussing one of two elements in the possible deal. While the U.S. may be close to concluding negotiations with Turkey, it might have to contend with another major impediment.

The pro-U.S. ethnic Kurds have been alarmed at the possibility of Turkish forces entering northern Iraq along with the U.S. troops. The pro-U.S. Kurdistan Democratic Party has already spelled out its fears that Kurds were now in danger of being subjected to Turkish occupation — a prospect much worse than contending with Iraq.

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