More than 1,000 Turkish commandos have rolled across the border into northernIraq in armoured vehicles.
It was a reminder to the Kurdish population on both sides of the border - andto the war planners at the Pentagon in Washington - that Turkey's interestscannot be ignored.
Last night, US Secretary of State Colin Powell had said: "We don't see anyneed for any Turkish incursions into northern Iraq."
He was speaking after Turkey delayed opening its airspace to US war planes forstrikes against Saddam Hussein's regime, insisting that the United States agreeto its demands to move ground troops into northern Iraq.
After appearing to drop the demand and saying it would allow the overflights,about 1,000 Turkish troops in M-113 armoured personnel carriers then moved intonorthern Iraq from near the town of Cukurca, where the borders of Turkey, Iraqand Iran converge.
The unit reinforces several thousand Turkish troops already in Iraq to fightTurkish Kurdish rebels who have bases in the area.