"I am getting very nervous. It is nice to see the MSM finally cover the Iran build up, but since they are late to the game (by about two years), they are covering the wrong leads and asking the wrong questions. For those of us who have covered this build up, all three or four of us, the latest developments to watch for are what our friends in the region are doing. Here is the latest out of Turkey:* the AP has a hysterical hit piece on obama:"1/16/2007 KurdishMedia.com London (KurdishMedia.com) 16 January 2007: The Turkish army have gathered and intensified its forces on the Kurdistan’s boarder ready for attack, reported local sources on Tuesday.
While Turkey is holding a conference on Kirkuk without the participation of the Kurdistan Regional Government or any Kurdish political party, Turkey has intensified its forces on the Kurdistan’s border. Some Turkmens, Arabs and a high number of Turkish MP’s have participated in the conference. It was revealed by local sources that only Turkish flag displayed in the conference.
Radio Nawa stated that the Turkish army ready for zero o’clock to attack Kurdistan.
The speaker of Kurdistan Parliament, Adnan Mufti, condemned the meeting and dismissed it as the interferences on Kurdistan’s affairs.
The Kurdistan Presidential Council led by Massuad Barzani has not made any statement regarding the Turkish conference on Kirkuk or the Turkish army’s gathering on the Kurdistan’s border."
"Some have even accused him of supporting infanticide."
* froomkin was liveonline - lots of good stuff - including lot's about the incredible lehrer interview and Bush's body language.
1 comment:
I don't think there is too much to get nervous about. TSK has been massed on the border for some time and during that time I have not heard of any major changes to troop strength.
Let's see . . . they massed on the border sometime in late March or early April. They were firing mortar and artillery into South Kurdistan while Rice was in Ankara at the end of April. Obviously, this was the American "green light" for Turkish aggression against South Kurdistan. Turkey was conducting joint operations with Iran, too.
They (i.e. the enemies) always use the excuse that they are attacking "PKK camps" when the reality is that they are always attacking Southern Kurd civilians . . . and sheep. The Iranians did blast a village and forced the villagers to evacuate for a short period of time.
There was a pretty good article from a Russian news service at the time, here.
Neither Turkey nor Iran will ever get rid of PKK; Turkey's goal is the oil of Mûsil and Kerkuk. Remember, these areas were once part of the Ottoman Empire and what you are dealing with in the Turkish state is a pack of neo-Ottomans who want their empire back. Look at Gülen; he's got schools from the Balkans to China and into Mongolia, and Gülen is a Turkish-Islamist. Erdo?an is one of his boys. They have representatives in the ATC. They are close to AEI and other neocon "institutions."
The Turks were the only ones who could control the Arabs and "our" suspicion is that they would offer to do so again, at least in the case of Iraq. Would the US take them up on the offer? At this point, hell yeah. Why not? Easy exit strategy. All the US and Turkey have to do is work out the oil situation. As far as I can tell at this point, that would be the only sticking point.
If Turkey comes across the border, it's going to have a problem in its West, especially in spring . . . like May. Not only will it have a problem with PKK (which is INSIDE Turkey), but it will have a problem with TAK. If Ocalan makes a statement ending the ceasefire (he's already hinted at an end in May because there has been no progress on a political solution), then TAK will go to work because TAK has only one allegiance, and that's to Serok. They listen to NOBODY else.
So, if you're planning a trip to Turkey this year, it will be much safer in Amed (Diyarbakir)--the PKK's city. Besides, the people and the food are so much nicer there.
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