The American military has begun using an air base in southern Turkey for a massive rotation of troops in and out of Iraq, a U.S. official told The Associated Press, a sign of improved U.S.-Turkish relations. Turkish permission to use its Incirlik air base marks a sharp contrast to last year, when the country — opposed to the invasion to oust Saddam Hussein— refused to allow U.S. troops on its territory for the war against its southern neighbor. It also comes as NATO ally Turkey is increasingly eager to win favor with the United States amid concerns over Iraqi Kurdish demands for greater autonomy in oil-rich northern Iraq. Turkey, and neighbors Syria and Iran, fear Iraqi Kurds might eventually push for independence and bring instability to their borders. Full Story
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