New front in the Iraq war
 

Chicago Tribune

The situation with the Kurdish PKK group is coming to a head. Turkish troops are moving toward the border after their parliament authorized them to enter Iraq to destroy PKK bases and 12 Turkish soldiers were killed in a PKK ambush. President Bush is weighing airstrikes against PKK positions that we have previously left unmolested.

The primary reasons the US have ignored this situation in the past is that the troops have had their with the Sunnis and Shiites while we have wanted to stay friendly with the Kurds. This may no longer be possible as it is likely that the Iraqi government will be severely damaged if Turkey invades Iraqi Kurdistan. And the hits just keep on coming.

Re: New front in the Iraq war
 

[ QUOTE ]
Chicago Tribune

The situation with the Kurdish PKK group is coming to a head. Turkish troops are moving toward the border after their parliament authorized them to enter Iraq to destroy PKK bases and 12 Turkish soldiers were killed in a PKK ambush. President Bush is weighing airstrikes against PKK positions that we have previously left unmolested.

The primary reasons the US have ignored this situation in the past is that the troops have had their with the Sunnis and Shiites while we have wanted to stay friendly with the Kurds. This may no longer be possible as it is likely that the Iraqi government will be severely damaged if Turkey invades Iraqi Kurdistan. And the hits just keep on coming.

[/ QUOTE ]

The hits do indeed keep on coming (is anyone truly surprised?) and in keeping with Adios' general observation, it appears the U.S. mission in Iraq may be about to be modified yet again.

Ilana Mercer has an interesting short article up now on her website. The title is, "Bush Betrays The Kurds". It seems the Kurds have been staunchly pro-American and constructive rather than destructive, and this may be about to be their reward. Well, some things do remain to be seen, we must suppose, but it is worth remembering that George I abandoned the Kurds to their fate.

Of course, there is also the problem of what is Turkey supposed to do about the PKK terrorists? Mercer doesn't address that question from the Turkish perspective in this article. Unfortunately, I don't know enough to comment on that, either. It appears that Turkey's goals might well be more than merely suppressing the PKK terrorists, though.

excerpts: "“The Kurds are the only sect in Iraq that has been consistently loyal to America—the Peshmergas [Kurdish militia] assisted American forces in the north during the invasion. Not one American soldier has been killed in that region. Kurds are also the only group to have made good on their newly found freedom. Monocultural Iraqi Kurdistan is an oasis in the democratic desert that is Iraq, ‘where business is booming and Americans are beloved.’…
Yet they were jilted, first, by George the First, and now, “The King of Darkness [George the Second] may be planning to sell the Kurds down the Tigress to pacify the Turks.”"

and "“When visiting Kurdistan,” enthused the CBS’s 60 Minutes, “one can see nation-building wherever one looks—Kurds are building their country day by day. There are more cranes here than minarets and there’s a run on cement.” No wonder the constructive Kurds want nothing to do with the destructive Iraqi Arabs, who’ve persecuted them in years past and have now turned on one another."


Full Article

and comments posted on Mercer's web blog:

Comments on Ilana Mercer article, including a Kurd's comments:

Re: New front in the Iraq war
 

Just an FYI-

The leaders of the Kurdish people in Iraq are enemies of the PKK.

Re: New front in the Iraq war
 

[ QUOTE ]
Just an FYI-

The leaders of the Kurdish people in Iraq are enemies of the PKK.

[/ QUOTE ]

Thanks for the FYI.

If and when Turkey comes into Northern Iraq, it might well be a steam-roller-type operation. Both the PKK and the leaders of the Kurds in Iraq are viewed in a negative light by Turkey (I think).

Re: New front in the Iraq war
 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Just an FYI-

The leaders of the Kurdish people in Iraq are enemies of the PKK.

[/ QUOTE ]

Thanks for the FYI.

If and when Turkey comes into Northern Iraq, it might well be a steam-roller-type operation. Both the PKK and the leaders of the Kurds in Iraq are viewed in a negative light by Turkey (I think).

[/ QUOTE ]
thank you for the speculation??? [img]/images/graemlins/confused.gif[/img] I'm merely pointing out its unlikely going to lead to a war between "Kurdistan" and Turkey b/c they have a common enemy. In fact, the last time the Turks got in a big fight with the PKk the leaders of the Kurds in Iraq fought against the PKK, taking over a few thousand casualties.

Re: New front in the Iraq war
 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Just an FYI-

The leaders of the Kurdish people in Iraq are enemies of the PKK.

[/ QUOTE ]

Thanks for the FYI.

If and when Turkey comes into Northern Iraq, it might well be a steam-roller-type operation. Both the PKK and the leaders of the Kurds in Iraq are viewed in a negative light by Turkey (I think).

[/ QUOTE ]
thank you for the speculation??? [img]/images/graemlins/confused.gif[/img] I'm merely pointing out its unlikely going to lead to a war between "Kurdistan" and Turkey b/c they have a common enemy. In fact, the last time the Turks got in a big fight with the PKk the leaders of the Kurds in Iraq fought against the PKK, taking over a few thousand casualties.

[/ QUOTE ]

Ah, now I see what you were driving at. Well, hopefully you are right; and hopefully if Turkey does invade, it won't be too large a steamroller or hammer.