Turks are joining to the war in Iraq.

Site Issues 2007 Archive Room
#1


CNN) – Turkey’s military confirmed Monday that eight of its soldiers were still missing following a weekend ambush that killed at least 12 Turkish troops, raising the prospect of a major Turkish military incursion into northern Iraq targeting the Kurdish separatists blamed for the attack.
Last week Turkey’s parliament voted overwhelmingly to authorize possible military strikes inside Iraqi territory against Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) fighters accused of operating from bases there.

Amid U.S. and Iraqi calls for restraint, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan urged the U.S. to take “speedy steps” towards cracking down on the PKK in Iraq, according to a report by The Associated Press.
http://edition.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/meast/10/22/turkey.kurds/index.html

It seems guys the Turks want a war…
For the Iraq;)
There is no any doubts they would attack the Kurds. Thus the last more or less piecefull region of Iraq will fall into the war.
What would resault of the possible turks military operationn - will it help for the coalition or not?
What do you think?

#2

The Americans don’t want them there as they will destabilize the area. Anyhow it might be a war the Turks could win;)

digger

#3

An interview with Jalal Talabani (president of Iraq) published today in “Le Figaro”:

Following its approval by the Turkish Parliament, can a Turkish attack in Iraq still be averted?

Following the visit by our vice president, Tariq Hashemi, to Ankara, I have the feeling that the Turks will wait for a political solution to the crisis to be found. We have two options to this end. First, via the tripartite committee (the United States, Turkey, and Iraq,) which can examine all the disputes, including that caused by the PKK’s [Kurdistan Workers Party] presence in our country. Second, via a direct dialogue between Ankara and the regional Kurdish government of Iraq. This is my preference. The Kurdish government of Iraq condemns the PKK’s military activity. The leaders of Kurdistan, Masud Barzani and I myself, call on the PKK to halt its armed struggle from Iraq. The PKK must realize that the world has changed. The days of Che Guevara are past. I say to the PKK: return to Turkey and take part in the democratic and parliamentary debate.

Do you also call on the Turks to dismantle their four military bases in your country?

The Turks regularly accuse us of supporting the PKK. These are false accusations. On the contrary, by authorizing the Turkish Army to have four bases in our country, with thousands of soldiers and dozens of tanks, it is we who support the Turks.

If there is a Turkish military intervention in Iraq, what will the Iraq Armed Forces’ response be?

It will all depend on the extent of the Turkish intervention. If the army invades cities such as Zakho or Dohouk [place names as published], the Kurdish and Iraqi forces will resist. The Americans cannot prevent us from doing so. But I think that Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan will exclude this hypothesis. If the Turks penetrate only as far as the Kandil mountains, where the PKK is entrenched, it will also cause many losses on both sides, and the operation will not necessarily end to the Turks’ advantage.

From http://www.lefigaro.fr/english/20071022.WWW000000437_jalal_talabani_urges_pkk_to_halt_its_armed_struggle_from_iraq_.html

#4

Just when you think it cannot get any worse down there. US should get outta there asap and wait till the dust clears, even if its unpleasant, probably better than staying and hoping for the best. There is no winning strategy there for them, if they stay it will just be Vietnam reloaded. Winning all battles but losing the war … If I were a US citizen I would try to sue Mr. Bush and his fellows, I mean he obviously and willingly broke his oath to serve the country, tricking the public into that mess. He damaged the US on so many levels (politically, economically etc.) it’s not even funny, there just has to be a law against it.

#5

But isn’t the war in Iraq going just fine, according to Bush? ;-D

“We’re kicking ass.”
–George W. Bush, on the security situation in Iraq, to Australian Deputy Prime Minister Mark Vaile, Sydney, Australia, Sept. 5, 2007

“The solution to Iraq – an Iraq that can govern itself, sustain itself and defend itself – is more than a military mission. Precisely the reason why I sent more troops into Baghdad.”
–George W. Bush, Washington, D.C., April 3, 2007

“The best way to defeat the totalitarian of hate is with an ideology of hope, an ideology of hate, excuse me, with an ideology of hope.”
–George W. Bush, Fort Benning, Ga., Jan. 11, 2007

_

#6

Well thank you for replies and for jokes.
But i have to notice you - this thread is not about to make fun with G. Bush and not about critic of the USA policy in Iraq.This is about Turks intentions toward the Iraq.
I have to agree with Digger - there is nothing good if Turkey will attack the PKK in Iraq.
As we know the Kurds are relatively loyal for te coalition forces - and they criticise ( at least in public) the PKK activity as the Dani’s post proves.
From other hand there is a point that the some of anti-Turks action of PKK were organised by the Turkish special units in aim to receive the “official reason” to invide and capture the Iraqi Kurdistan.
From this prospect the turks simply planns to capture the great piece of territory with Kurds population.
Today this is clear that Iraq will not stay stable if the US withdrow from here. And it will disintegrate at least for 3-4 hostitle part. The Turks want its “own” part.
Thus we see the realising of plan of the annihilation of Iraq as a state.

#7

This could be true.

In Australian, and British, English, an ass is a donkey. :smiley:

#8

Remind anyone of anything?

“… the war situation has developed not necessarily to Japan’s advantage”

Emperor Hirohito’s surrender speech, August 1945.

#9

I think that the US calling for restraint is one of the most hypocritical things it’s done since it invaded Iraq, and will be one of the most hypocritical things it does before it attacks Iran.

#10

The Turks will probably go in using special forces, and hopefully not more…

#11

I wonder when the Turks start to regret it. As far as I know the Kurds are not the only one who live in northern Iraq (they are in majority, but there are others). I’m afraid that when Turks enter the province, the Kurds as the only force capable to prevent “insurgents”,“terrorist” or simply “criminals” from their action will be under so big Turkish pressure that nobody will be able to stop the eruption of violence (like happened in other part of Iraq).

From the other side, so far the Kurdish problem inside Turkey was treated as the internal Turkish affair. It didn’t turn out yesterday that Kurds have bases in northern Iraq and that it is extremely difficult situation. As long as Turks and Kurds were killing each other in Turkey it was fine. But now, everybody blame Turks for aggressive and irresponsible behavior in the most politically unstable area in the world. I just can’t recall, how many times any foreign politician offered his help to end this conflict.

BTW if Turks attack, it will be a great opportunity to put the blame on them for the escalation of the conflict.

Pozdrawiam,
Kovalski

#12

I’d like to add that there are very few US forces on the Kurdish north of Iraq. The area is largely devoid of the civil war and is secured by the “PeshMerga,” a Kurdish militia. I’m not sure how many “regulars” of the Iraqi Army would even be in the north…

#13

As there was a total absence of American and Western military support for the poor bloody Kurds after GW1 when we encouraged them to rise up, which they did in the expectation of our help and for which they paid dearly.

They were a nuisance to the regional and major powers then, threatening to establish a new (albeit more Marxist in 1990 and more Islamic in 2007) state that none of the countries bordering them, and none of the major powers, wants. Nothing’s changed, since then, or since the Halabja massacre of 1988 and previous events.

The Kurds aren’t going to be allowed to win anything. It’s just a question of who crushes them this time. Poor bastards.

#14

Looks like it’s presently 2/1 in favour of the US doing the dirty work, no doubt to keep Turkey out of Iraq.
http://www.theage.com.au/news/world/america-weighs-air-strikes-on-kurds-in-iraq/2007/10/23/1192941063299.html

#15

So Bush’s idea is to keep the hate on us so that shit storm doesnt become a diarrhea flingin hurricane.

#16

Yeah, just what we need - more enemies…

BTW, this wouldn’t be the first time the Turks entered Iraq in modern times, they were there in the Saddam years.

#17

Bush is greedy.

You’ve got more than enough already. :smiley:

There is a disturbing risk here that the pundits have failed to pick up.

When Bush was here recently for the APEC conference he called it the OPEC conference, then commented on our prime minister visiting Austrian, not Australian, troops in Iraq. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/worldnews.html?in_article_id=480494

If Bush continues his long established geographic and mental confusion, the Kurds in Iraq are safe, because here’s where the cruise missiles are going to land, with interesting results. http://maps.google.com.au/maps?oe=UTF-8&hl=en&tab=wl&q=kurd%20hungary

#18

Hihi, if he wasn’t in such an important position Bush would be one hell of a political comedian, that’s for sure. But for me he is also the first US president where you can actually see the puppet strings and that is rather not so funny.

#19

Yes probably you right.
But not only the Turks will blamed - but also and coalitions forces.
Coz the escalation of conflict in iraq should bury the any possibility of the Peacefull ending of the operation “Iraqi fredom” and particulary the Bush’s planns of the insltalling the “Democratic” Administration in Iraq. If the whole iraq will immerse into the total religion and ethnical war- this will collaps of Bush policy in NEar East.
Thus the Turkish provocation is anti-bush and anti-american in sense- they just want to explode the rest of Iraq and then solve its own political problems with Kurds IMO.
But the responcibility of it would lie to the Coalition forces as the force that was not able to prevent the blood conflict.

#20

The puppet American Administration ??:wink:
But who could rule the prsident Bush?:smiley: