WITH MARINES IN OPERATION PROVIDE COMFORT                             91


Kurds held demonstrations protesting the allied departure. At Dohuk, the Iraqis
and the Kurds engaged in a two-hour gun battle during which at least 17 people
died. The British and the Peshmerga got into a firefight near Al Amadiyah.
There were scattered incidents between the Kurds and the Turks along the
border. These actions forced General Shalikashvili to postpone the allied egress
until 15 July.
    To try to settle things down, General Shalikashvili decided to have a meeting
with Kurdish leaders. Colonel Jones, combat artist Colonel Gish, and Sergeant
Major Hatcher flew to the 3d Commando Brigade Headquarters. There, they met
with General Shalikashvili and the British commander to discuss future options
and to anticipate the Kurdish response. From Sirsenk, the group moved to the
heavily guarded French compound at Shaladiza where the Kurdish mullahs had
gathered for this important meeting.
    General Shalikashvili met with the Kurdish elders, each one dressed in
distinctive ceremonial robes and fancy turban. The Kurds talked of their dreams
for a free Kurdistan and told the general they wanted the allied forces to expand
the  security zone  to include Mosul  and  Kirkuk. After  their passionate
presentations, General Shalikashvili rose and addressed them. He told them that
what he was going to say was sure to be a disappointment to them, but that he
had to be honest with ~hem. He said the security zone was not going to be
expanded and that the allied security forces were going to leave Iraq. He
reassured the Kurds that the United Nations would keep the peace and urged
them to settle their differences with Baghdad through negotiations. This did not
satisfy the Kurds, who pressed for a continued allied presence.110 Shalikashvili
pointed out that Saddam was well aware that any intrusion into the security zone
would bring a strong allied response, then closed the meeting by saying that he
would convey their concerns about the future to his superiors, but that he could
make no promises.

                             The Final Days

    On 6 July, the Turkish government agreed to allow an international reaction
force, called Combined Task Force Poised Hammer, to remain at Silopi. Poised
Hammer was comprised of a headquarters, an international infantry battalion, an
aviation component, and a service support component. General Jamerson was
designated commanding general and General Zinni was made deputy commander.
The U.S. Army's 6th Battalion, 6th Cavalry, and 6th Battalion, 5O2d Infantry,
were the major American combat units assigned to Poised Hammer. The 6th
Battalion of the 502d was actually a provisional rifle battalion that included rifle
companies from the United States (Company A, 6th Battalion, 5O2d Infantry),
United Kingdom,    Netherlands, Spain, Italy, France, and Turkey. The 6th
Cavalry's 6th Battalion included scout, utility, attack, and transport helicopters.
Fixed-wing air support was provided by the U.S. Air Force at Incirlik. The only
Marine units assigned to Task Force Poised Hamn~r were the firepower control
teams from 2d ANGLICO.