Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
04ANKARA7118
2004-12-23 11:00:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Ankara
Cable title:  

THANKS TO OUR MILITARY

Tags:  MASS MOPS PREL TU IZ 
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231100Z Dec 04
UNCLAS ANKARA 007118 

SIPDIS

BAGHDAD PLEASE PASS TO MNF-I AND TO TASK FORCE OLYMPIA
FROM CHARGE ROBERT DEUTSCH FOR GENERAL CASEY AND BRIG. GEN.
HAM

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: MASS MOPS PREL TU IZ
SUBJECT: THANKS TO OUR MILITARY

REF: ANKARA 7075

UNCLAS ANKARA 007118

SIPDIS

BAGHDAD PLEASE PASS TO MNF-I AND TO TASK FORCE OLYMPIA
FROM CHARGE ROBERT DEUTSCH FOR GENERAL CASEY AND BRIG. GEN.
HAM

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: MASS MOPS PREL TU IZ
SUBJECT: THANKS TO OUR MILITARY

REF: ANKARA 7075


1. I want to express my sincere thanks to you and the men and
women of your commands for your daily heroism and dedication,
but most specifically for your assistance to Turkey following
the Dec. 17 insurgent attack against a convoy of Turkish
officials in Mosul. Task Force Olympia's soldiers risked
their lives to assist at the scene of the attack, to care for
the wounded, to collect the bodies of two of the murdered
Turks from downtown Mosul, and then to run a convoy from
Mosul to the Turkish border to deliver the bodies of five
Turkish officials back home.


2. In addition, your team at our medical facility at Balad
expertly cared for a Turkish official who was wounded in the
Mosul attack. Finally, MNF-I C3 and C5 coordinated on an
extremely tight time frame to identify assets to fly the WIA
official from Balad to BIAP to catch a flight home on a
Turkish military aircraft. Along the way, everyone at MNF-I
and TFO responded to Embassy Ankara's requests for assistance
with professionalism and a "can-do" attitude.


3. The incident in Mosul was a tragedy for the Turkish people
and their government. The degree of their emotions was
marked at the funeral ceremony, where the entire
establishment from the President on down and thousands of
Turks participated. Multiple senior Turkish officials have
repeatedly told us how important the assistance you provided
was. I should add that a number of them have subsequently
called to express their condolences for the horrific attack
on our forces in Mosul on Tuesday. Your people have done
much to help in our relationship with Turkey and in our
efforts to encourage their constructive engagement with Iraq.


4. Baghdad minimize considered.
DEUTSCH