Turkey's powerful armed forces on Wednesday backed a tentative government move to submit a fresh motion to Parliament allowing US troops to open a ‘‘northern front’’ against Iraq from Turkey. Chief of the General Staff Hilmi Ozkok said Turkey would be better off in any war than out of it, and argued that opening an extra front against Iraq from Turkey would mean a short war. ‘‘The Turkish armed forces’ view is the same as the government’s and is reflected in the motion our government sent to Parliament,’’ Ozkok said in televised remarks. ‘‘The war will be short if a second front is opened from the north.’’ Ozkok also issued a veiled warning to Iraqi Kurds that Turkey is prepared to intervene in the region to prevent the establishment of a Kurdish state. (Reuters)
