Gulf War II: Iraq 2003

Turkey wanted to send its own troops into northern Iraq to prevent a refugee crisis and keep an eye on Kurdish rebels who may want to create an independent state, something the Turks oppose.

Turkey fears that the creation of a Kurdish independent state, or even providing arms to Kurds in northern Iraq, will create problems, such as separatist attacks, within its own borders. Turkish forces have fought a bloody war with Kurdish separatists for decades.

These internal issues drove the Turkish parliament's decision not to allow US troops to be based in Turkey and consequently to forfeiting $5 billion in aid and $10 billion in loans that were offered by the US.

With northern Iraqi towns Mosul and Kirkuk falling to the control of Kurdish forces the Turkish government had reaffirmed its readiness to invade Iraq and protect its borders. If that occurs it could ignite a 'war within a war', something Washington fears would undermine its operation in Iraq.

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