The Turkish
ground invasion of Northern Iraq has begun
and the United States is in the middle.
The New Anatolian, Turkey
For Evidence
of PKK
Activity, Kurds
Need
Only Ask Americans
…
"After all, it's the
Americans supplying detailed, real-time intelligence on the PKK whereabouts in
northern Iraq."
By Ilnur Cevik
February 23, 2008
Turkey
- The New Anatolian - Original Article (English)
With Turkey launching air
raids on PKK hideouts in Northern Iraq and the government in Baghdad
maintaining relative silence, [President of Iraq's Kurdish North] Massoud
Barzani has spoken at last.
Saying his patience is
running out, during an interview with Al Arabiya TV Barzani lambasted the
Maliki government for remaining a spectator to Turkish raids in northern Iraq.
He also claimed that the PKK "doesn’t
exist" in northern Iraq and that the group is an internal problem of
Turkey, but that he's ready to help to resolve the issue.
In view of the Turkish raids,
it is now clear to the frustrated people of the Kurdish region how helpless
their administration is. The Barzani administration is aware of this
frustration and sees the Americans siding with Turkey on the issue, so Barzani
has decided to make these comments for domestic consumption. But in today's
world, statements like these are flashed around the globe in seconds -
including in Turkey - so Ankara, too, has taken note of Barzani's comments.
President Barzani need only
ask the Americans if the PKK exists in northern Iraq and he'll receive a
positive answer. After all, it's the Americans supplying detailed, real-time
intelligence on the PKK whereabouts in northern Iraq. Its one thing to say that
the Kurdish administration can't cope with the PKK menace - but quite another
to say it "doesn't exist in the region."
WORLDMEETS.US
The Barzani interview comes
as Turkish military officials gear up for ground operations against the PKK
[they were launched Feb. 22]. During the cold winter months, air raids against
the PKK hideouts had to suffice.
Turkey must make it clear that
that these ground operations be any form of massive occupation of Kurdish
territory, but will target only PKK hideouts and facilities and be in the form
of hit and run operations, with special forces flying in, hitting the PKK, and then
flying out.
WORLDMEETS.US
Our own sources report that there
have been no real civilian casualties in northern Iraq. A woman died in the
first raid because she happened to be too close to a PKK target that that was
destroyed. But now those Kurds living near PKK positions have fled, and Turkey can
directly deal with the remaining PKK. So Barzani's stated concern for civilians
should be eased.
Turks believe our people have
suffered due to the PKK's presence in northern Iraq, and now our troops have at
least partly eliminated the source of this suffering. Ideally, the Kurdish
administration would militarily help us finish the job, but Barzani has ruled this
out.
But land operations are
inevitable and this means that Barzani must cooperate by turning a blind eye.
This will be easier said than done.
WORLDMEETS.US
Senior Kurdish sources in Iraq's
central government report that since the Turkish air raids began, they have had
a very hard time getting the Kurdish administration to cooperate. With land
operations, Baghdad says it will have an even harder time imposing its will on
Barzani. They also say that in the months ahead the political situation in
Baghdad is expected to get even more complicated and that no one may have the influence
to lessen Kurdish anger.
Turkey must find some way to
reach an accommodation with Barzani, so that any fuss over ground operations
will be limited. That will require a realistic dialogue between Ankara and Iraqi
Kurds. It also means Ankara should use the good offices of President Jalal
Talabani [a Kurd].
ilnurcevik@yahoo.com
[WORLDMEETS.US Posted February 23, 12:55pm]
