Doubts Grow on Sending Turkish Troops to Iraq

ANKARA (Reuters) - Washington looks likely to drop its request that Turkey send troops to Iraq to back up harried U.S. forces, a decision that could be something of a relief for the Ankara government, Turkish officials and analysts say.

Turkey's troop offer, sanctioned by parliament this month, has provoked strong protest both inside and outside Iraq and is deeply unpopular with the Turkish public.

Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan said at the weekend he preferred not to send troops if Iraqis did not want them there, although the decision rested with NATO ally Washington.

A senior foreign ministry official, asked late on Monday if he thought Turkish soldiers would go to Iraq, replied: "I don't think so."

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