Seems that saber rattling is the new black.

[Little Raven]

And Turkey is nothing if not chic.

On a decree of the Government the Turkish Defense Ministry has started working out the plan of military invasion in the north of Iraq. The Turkish military will target bases of Kurdish fighters. According to Associated Press, reports on this appeared in a number of Turkish media, including in the air of NTV largest TV channel of the country. Official Ankara did not confirm the reports. Turkish PM Recep Tayyip Erdogan today commented on those reports, saying, “We know how to cope with the terrorism issue ourselves. Our competent services have started preparation and will continue doing it.”

According to Trend referring to RBK, yesterday Turkey addressed Iraqi and US authorities, urging to “suppress activities of Kurdish separatists, based in the north of Iraq.” If adequate measures are not taken, Turkey is going “to fully exercise its international rights,” Minister of Justice Cemil Cicek said.

 

[Cheezy the Wiz]

I don't understand your choice of thread title, but this is very intriguing if Turkey decides to take a walk through N Iraq. If they aren't careful, it might lead to some 'confrontations' with Coalition Forces; I recall they aren't too fond of the American soldiers.

 

[IglooDame]

Oh good, just yesterday I was wondering why the Kurds were just beebopping along nicely while the rest of the MidEast was getting all hot and bothered.

 

[Masquerouge]

"fully exercise its international rights"... gotta love the metaphor!

 

[Little Raven]

Oh good, just yesterday I was wondering why the Kurds were just beebopping along nicely while the rest of the MidEast was getting all hot and bothered.

Exactly. The Kurds and the Americans in Iraq have an understanding: they don't make trouble for us or the provisional government, and we don't look too closely at what they choose to do with their little fiefdom.

Unfortunately, what a great many of them are choosing to do is help their Kurdish brothers in Turkey, generally by killing members of Turkey's military and law enforcement organizations. Turkey does not appreciate this.

Now I don't think Turkey actually wants to invade. They'd much prefer it if we simply made sure Iraqi Kurds behaved. But given that the Kurds are the one ethnic group in Iraq that isn't causing us trouble, I'm not sure how enthused we're going to be about a crackdown.

 

[North King]

Well, well, well. All we need now is a super-fundementalist revolution in Saudi Arabia, Iran to finally dip their hand into the Israeli conflict, and Oman going insane and invading all their neighbors, and the whole Middle East will be in flames.

 

[jameson]

Unfortunately, what a great many of them are choosing to do is help their Kurdish brothers in Turkey, generally by killing members of Turkey's military and law enforcement organizations. Turkey does not appreciate this.

I'm a bit unsure of how your link demonstrates that PUK and KDP are helping the PKK attack the Turks, could you clarify ? Í think what we have here is rather a parallel to Lebanon, where the government isn't all that happy about the Hezbollah presence but is unable to do anything about it both because they don't have the power to do so (I guess the Iraqi Kurds are more preoccupied with seizing Kirkuk) and because the Turkish Kurds are indeed seen as brothers by part of the Iraqi Kurds.
Also, I think the Iraqi Kurds are angry that the PKK is destroying their chance of pulling out of Iraq; Turkey certainly won't let them as long as the PKK is still fighting for an independent Kurdistan in Turkey. Consider too the ideological nature of the PKK; it's a radical Marxist and secular organization which I don't think any Iraqi Kurd would want to be ruled by now that they are essentially governing themselves instead.

 

[Erik Mesoy]

Oh good, just yesterday I was wondering why the Kurds were just beebopping along nicely while the rest of the MidEast was getting all hot and bothered.

You should read Norwegian media. A short while back they all ran more or less the same article on how the Kurds were actively arming themselves, infiltrating the Iraqi army and security forces and preparing (for) civil war.
Did anyone else see this story anywhere?

 

[Elta]

Well, well, well. All we need now is a super-fundementalist revolution in Saudi Arabia, Iran to finally dip their hand into the Israeli conflict, and Oman going insane and invading all their neighbors, and the whole Middle East will be in flames.

"and Poland* you forgot Poland






*Yemen

 

[GinandTonic]

The rest of the middle east realises the eyes of the world are averted for a sec and girdles its loins... Or possibly just frount each other down to make sure thats not what the other are thinking.

 

[Little Raven]

I'm a bit unsure of how your link demonstrates that PUK and KDP are helping the PKK attack the Turks, could you clarify ?

Apologies. It's actually quite hard to find good, english sources on this.

Here's a better one.

Í think what we have here is rather a parallel to Lebanon, where the government isn't all that happy about the Hezbollah presence but is unable to do anything about it both because they don't have the power to do so (I guess the Iraqi Kurds are more preoccupied with seizing Kirkuk) and because the Turkish Kurds are indeed seen as brothers by part of the Iraqi Kurds.

That's pretty close. Exactly what is and isn't an 'official' organization in Iraq is a very muddy subject at the moment, but it's no doubt fair to say that there's a divergence of opinion on this matter among Iraqi Kurds. However, there's ample evidence that, at minimum, the KRG is failing to keep some of the more trigger-happy tribesmen in line.

Considering that the G8 has just given Israel carte blanch to bomb Beirut over two kidnapped soldiers, it does seem reasonable to expect that Turkey should get to toss some ordinance around Arbil when 15 army and police personnel have been killed in the last week alone.

That won't happen, of course. But expect Turkey's grumbling on this matter to get louder unless the KRG steps up to the plate. And should we leave Iraq as anything less than a unified state...well, I suppose this will be the least of our worries in that scenario.

 

[LLXerxes]

*Yemen

Or we could just wait for the pirates to take over Yemen

I doubt Turkey would invade Kurdish Iraq. Use of diplomacy involving the Kurds that will most likely do nothing? Most likely. But in the mean time...

 

[jameson]

Here's a better one.

It is, thanks .

Considering that the G8 has just given Israel carte blanch to bomb Beirut over two kidnapped soldiers, it does seem reasonable to expect that Turkey should get to toss some ordinance around Arbil when 15 army and police personnel have been killed in the last week alone.

That won't happen, of course. But expect Turkey's grumbling on this matter to get louder unless the KRG steps up to the plate. And should we leave Iraq as anything less than a unified state...well, I suppose this will be the least of our worries in that scenario.

On the bright side though, Turkey entered Northern Iraq in force before, in 1999, 2003 and this year, and nothing serious happened. Turkey's still trying to become an EU member now and it's a member of NATO so there is some real leverage here on part of Europe. Israel on the other hand only really needs US support, and that's given pretty much unquestioningly. I don't see the EU being able to put any kind of real pressure on Israel.

 

[luiz]

I agree with Jameson. If Turkey does this they can kiss all of their chances of ever beign allowed in the EU goodbye. Clearly it is not in their best interests.

Personally I've always thought that the Kurds should have their state, but I'm fully aware that it will never happen as a very powerful nation (Turkey) would rather fight the whole world than allow it.

 

[GinandTonic]

But Turkey wont get into the EU. The french and east eurpeans wont stand for it. They will get some trumped-up trading block deal, called membership but no voting, no free movement etc. And they know it.

We define ourdelves by that which we are not, and too much of europe has defined itself as not-turkey for too many centuries to let go now.