Turkish troops withdraw from northern Iraq

[grandpa]

There is no
discussion going on about Turkey here at the moment, so here's a development:

Turkish troops withdraw from Iraq - Conflict in Iraq - MSNBC.com

KIRKUK, Iraq - Turkey has withdrawn troops from northern Iraq, after sending soldiers about 1.5 miles into the north of the country , Kurdish officials told Reuters on Tuesday. Shortly after the incursion was made public earlier in the day, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said the U.S., Iraq and Turkey have a "common interest" in stopping Kurdish rebels in northern Iraq, while cautioning against action that could destabilize the region.

It sounds to me like Rice is trying to have it both ways. Just like a politician.

Grandpa h.

[grandpa]

Turkey praises US help as jets bomb northern Iraq - Yahoo! News

ANKARA (AFP) - Turkish President Abdullah Gul praised the US on Wednesday for providing military intelligence as Ankara confirmed its third air strike in 10 days against Kurdish rebel hideouts in northern Iraq. "Things are going on well at the moment. Intelligence is being shared" between the two NATO allies, Anatolia news agency quoted Gul as saying in Ankara.

"Things are going on well," indeed. Also, for such instances, I should point out the classic irony of saying "intelligence is being shared."

Grandpa h.

[rmnunez]

Turkey is bombing empty villages, the locals have abandoned long ago or are warned to evacuate in advance. This is being done to demonstrate to the Kurdish separatists that Turkey has the capability and that they could carry out such attacks if the seccesionists get out of hand.

[grandpa]

Quote by: rmnunez Turkey is bombing empty villages, the locals have abandoned long ago or are warned to evacuate in advance. This is being done to demonstrate to the Kurdish separatists that Turkey has the capability and that they could carry out such attacks if the seccesionists get out of hand.

On the other hand, with respect to the Kurds, NATO has intervened in Northern Iraq. This happened in 1999. Will they do it some more?

Grandpa h.

[Charlatan]

The Kurds are all drawn together because of culture, and are trying to garner support from locals to take over their regions they are in. If the people did not support them they would be trying to subjugate these regions, which I doubt they have the manpower to do, nor are they supported by a government, so it is a matter of people fighting for themselves. What threat do they pose to the region by governmental standards? They will just hang out there and make a mess until they run out of supplies, then scatter away. Do they pose a threat to the people? No the people are together there. I think this situation is born of paranoia, and as soon as people settle down they will all become civilized.

[grandpa]

Quote by: Charlatan The Kurds are all drawn together because of culture, and are trying to garner support from locals to take over their regions they are in. If the people did not support them they would be trying to subjugate these regions, which I doubt they have the manpower to do, nor are they supported by a government, so it is a matter of people fighting for themselves.

Well, these people are human property from a Turkish government point of view. That's my explanation for Turkey's forcible assimilation policies, anyway. So Kurds and Turks actually do have reason to be paranoid, unfortunately. I think many examples could be learned from South Africa, which has certainly improved since Apartheid was ended.
Sure, some aspects of the problem may be different, but the general approach could be the same.

With this kind of problem, trying to control it is very diffiicult. Because I'm not over there, I can only speak of general principles. I would like to think there is a tincture of hope, that people can put aside their selfish divisions and see the big picture. Unfortunately, some will always exist to prove that kinding of thinking as naive.

Grandpa h.

[rmnunez]

Some who express support for the Kurds do so simply because Turkey is a NATO ally. The arguments in support of Kurdish independence need to be based on something more intelligent than knee-jerkian opposition to united statian allies.

[grandpa]

Quote by: rmnunez Some who express support for the Kurds do so simply because Turkey is a NATO ally. The arguments in support of Kurdish independence need to be based on something more intelligent than knee-jerkian opposition to united statian allies.

I take it this was directed at me.

While I'm not willing to unquestioningly support everything Kurds do, Turkey does have a way of intimidating the Kurds, to say the least. Turkey's being a NATO country seems to aid in these efforts. According to an Associate Press report, "Turkey's military claimed that more than 200 Kurdish rebel targets in northern Iraq have been hit since Dec. 16, killing hundreds of rebels."

Meanwhile, President Abdullah Gul said that Turkey was "pleased with U.S.
cooperation, including the sharing of intelligence. 'It is a cooperation
that befits the allies,' he was quoted as saying by the state-run media."
(SUZAN FRASER, The Associated Press. Wednesday, December 26, 2007)

But it doesn't all have to do with NATO, or their being allies in Iraq.
Turkey has engaged in human-rights crushing behavior domestically, including a ban on the Kurdish language and other forcible assimiliation policies. Is that something to be accepted? I would hope not.

Grandpa h.