Turkey thanks US for aiding airstrikes

Times Online ^ | 12/27/2007 | N/A

[a_Turk]

ANKARA Abdullah Gül, the Turkish President, praised the US for providing military intelligence as Turkey confirmed its third airstrike in ten days against Kurdish rebel hideouts in northern Iraq. The attack on Nirvorokan in Dohuk province was the third against Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) targets in northern Iraq that the military has confirmed since December 16, in addition to a cross-border ground operation.

The Turkish general staff said that six PKK militants were killed in mountains inside Turkey, bringing to 11 the death toll from a two-day security operation in the area.

The PKK has waged a bloody campaign for Kurdish self-rule in southeast Turkey since 1984. Ankara says that about 3,500 PKK militants have taken refuge in northern Iraq.

The US, while supportive of limited Turkish military action in Iraq to fend off PKK incursions, fears that a large cross-border operation by the Turkish military may destabilise the relatively peaceful northern part of Iraq and fuel tensions between the Iraqi Kurds and Turkey, both US allies. (AFP)

[Nova442]

So I guess after all the hand-wringing regarding the Armenian genocide resolution, nothing happened?

[kidd]

Remember Freepers,
The PKK are communists

[robomatik]

perhaps our way of making amends for pelosi rat?

[Shermy]

You posted and then FR was down for 2 hours

Must have been some viruses forwarded by an angered oxi-nato

;)

[Puddleglum]

So we were for the Kurds before we were against them?

[yldstrk]

Folk you Turkey for not letting us in through the Northern border.

[rlmorel]

Not all Kurds are PKK.

[a_Turk]

ROFLMAO :))

Hey you :)

[Parley Baer]

Some things are better left unsaid. Turkey should have remained quiet and went about its business.

[a_Turk]

We’ll say what we want. And in psy ops, this was the right thing to do.

[ScholarWarrior]

Hello a_Turk, we spoke years ago. Just thought I would tell you that I had a chance this past summer to visit your wonderful homeland. Istanbul, Ephesus, Bodrum, along with a few Greek islands.

What wonderful people. What terrific food and great sights. Its a pity there isn't any good Turkish food here in Pa.

Thanks.

[familyop]

"So we were for the Kurds before we were against them?"

Yes. The UK depends on Turkey for some energy resources, and the world depends on Iran to keep oil from going higher.

[ScholarWarrior]

there was some domestic political issues at the time, if you recall...
Perhaps you want Turkey to go the way of Iran?

[Atlantic Friend]

“Some things are better left unsaid. Turkey should have remained quiet and went about its business.”

Actually, it is quite clever. By stating the obvious, Turkey makes sure Washington has a strong interest in keeping keep the Peshmerga in line. All in all, a win-win situation for Ankara, as it gets to strike Kurdish opponents and leaves the trickier questions of damage control, political compensation and avoiding Kurdish raids in Turkey at the White House’s doorstep.

I am sure the US Cabinet has seen this move coming from a long way away, but once the green light had been given for the strikes, there was precious little to do...