December 12, 2000

Over the weekend, two battalions of Iraqi troops moved into the UN protected Kurdish enclave in northern Iraq. No shots were fired and the Iraqis withdrew after three days. This is a typical Iraqi move. First they go in and do nothing. If there is no UN retaliation, they will be back and eventually they will permanently re-occupy parts of the Kurdish enclave. The Kurds feel that the Iraqis are intent on moving Kurdish populations further north and taking their place with Arab settlers.