The US war effort has been hampered in northern Iraq by Turkey's refusal to allow basing rights for as many as 62,000 troops to make a thrust from that country in a two-pronged attack on Baghdad. It also has increased concerns in Washington that Turkey itself might put large numbers of troops into northern Iraq to face Kurdish groups who control the area.
A Turkish commando force of about 1,500 men crossed into northern Iraq on Friday night, a precursor to eventual larger deployment, a Turkish military official said.
"We have special forces units connected to Kurdish forces in the north," Rumsfeld said. "And you can be certain that we have advised the Turkish government and the Turkish armed forces that it would be notably unhelpful if they went into the north in large numbers."
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