'Turks must swallow a bitter pill'

The Guardian ^ | April 12, 2003

[HowBoutThemCowboys]

'Turks must swallow a bitter pill'

Ankara presses US to remove Kurds from oil-rich Kirkuk

Saturday April 12, 2003 The Guardian

KurdishMedia.com Editorial, April 10

"The US secretary of state, Colin Powell, said he had reached an accord with Turkey to have Kurdish forces pull back from Kirkuk, the oil-rich city in northern Iraq. It appears that Kurds were only wanted for the 'dirty job'. After Kurds liberated Kirkuk, then their services are not required. The question for the US is this: why should Turkey, the one country that refused to help the US in the war against Iraq, have any say in the future of Iraq?

"This is the first reward that Kurds get for sacrificing their lives in the liberation of Iraq. Perhaps the US and Britain have more surprises for Kurds. By retreating from Kirkuk, Kurds will lose more than the most important city of Kurdistan; they lose their national pride and dignity."

Kamal Mirawdeli Kurdistan Observer, April 11

"Whatever happens, however [many] sacrifices we make for keeping Kirkuk, it is worth it. Thousands of Kurds in exile are prepared to go back to live or die in Kirkuk. The Kurdish people everywhere will oppose [Kurdish leaders] and dishonour them if they surrender to a simple threat by Turkish fascists.

"Stay in Kirkuk. Occupy and fortify all strategic positions. Ask tens of thousands of Kurds to join Kurdish people in Kirkuk. I sincerely hope and appeal to Kurdish leaders not to surrender to the Turkish threat and sell their dignity, honour and all their past history and struggle. This is the most defining moment in our history."

Taha Akyol Milliyet, Turkey, April 11

"Of course the US will give something in return to the Kurds, because they fought against President Saddam, but they will not be given Kirkuk or the oil. For Kirkuk to change hands would turn the region to hell. What will those who rejected the second motion [to allow US troops to be stationed in Turkey] be thinking now? If they had accepted the request, the US would not have been dependent on the [Kurdish] peshmergas, and Turkish and American soldiers would have entered northern Iraq together, preventing any ethnic chaos."

Mehmet Ali Birand Posta, Turkey, April 11

"Everything at this stage is in the hands of the Americans. If Washington gives the green light, then the Kurds can take Kirkuk and do as they please. Any Turkish soldiers entering northern Iraq would come face to face with the US army. Trying to remove the Kurds from Kirkuk would probably mean clashing with the US, and put [Turkey] at great risk.

"But if Washington wants to maintain its long-term relations with Turkey it must exercise maximum caution to Ankara's sensitivities. Generally speaking, winning a military victory is easy. More difficult is dressing the wounds, winning the hearts and establishing a new order that is acceptable to everybody. That is the biggest task the coalition countries face."

Tehran Times Editorial, April 10

"[Kurds and Shia Muslims] still remember the failed Shia and Kurdish uprising of 1991. The US had initially expressed support for the uprising, but then US troops inexplicably stood by and watched as Iraqi forces loyal to President Saddam killed approximately 250,000 Shia and 250,000 Kurds.

"Naturally, the Iraqi Kurds and Shia still bear a grudge against the US over the betrayal and are suspicious of US intentions in Iraq. This is one reason why US officials do not want to see a coalition of legitimate Iraqi opposition groups take control of Iraq. It seems that the US is still opposed to the will of the Iraqi people and the establishment of real democracy in Iraq."

Stavros Lygeros Kathimerini, Greece, April 11

"Nothing is settled, but the most likely scenario is that the Kurds will benefit, their quasi-state in northern Iraq made stronger and larger. The Americans will support them because they realise that the Kurds see them as liberators. Kurdistan will not only be a more friendly environment but a lever for exerting pressure on surrounding countries. Washington is trying to reassure the Turkish leadership. But everything points to the fact that the Turks will have to swallow a bitter pill. The only other option is outright recklessness."

Wall Street Journal Editorial, April 11

"One has to wonder about the wisdom in giving the green light to the Turkish military. It's not hard to imagine how a single incident involving a Turkish soldier and a Kurdish fighter could explode. Had Turkey allowed 60,000 US soldiers to be based in south-eastern Turkey for a move into northern Iraq those troops would now be keeping order in the region and Turkey would have a lot less to complain about."

Times Editorial, April 11

"Sensitive, but firm, policing by coalition troops will be needed. Turks and Kurds alike must find the resolve to keep the promises of restraint they made on the eve of war, and not to jeopardise the complex endgame now playing out. There is no plan for a new Kurdistan, and there must be no war within a war in northern Iraq. Wise words came [on Thursday] from the US president, when he pledged that 'the goals of our coalition are clear and limited' - an intention that should steady the nerves of Turks and Kurds alike."

[ThreePuttinDude]

Kirkuk appears to be well within the borders
or Iraq, why would Turkey have anything to say about
the Kurds rights to the oil wells??

---

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[Nick Danger]

why should Turkey, the one country that refused to help the US in the war against Iraq, have any say in the future of Iraq?

Because the 4th infantry division is not in place up there yet.

[invenire]

The Oil Wells would help the Kurds establish their "Nation" and enable them to afford the resources to protect it.

[UncleSamUSA]

--"The question for the US is this: why should Turkey, the one country that refused to help the US in the war against Iraq, have any say in the future of Iraq?" --

I think the Kurds are 100%, positively, absolutely RIGHT.

The Turks listened to the French and Germans and screwed the US military in order to pave the way for EU entry. In so doing, they turned their back on a loyal ally offering a disgustingly HUGE monetary aid package including cash and loan guarantees.

They fucked America and greatly hindered our war plans. The fact we won with ease without them is not the point. The Turks screwed us to make friends with our diplomatic enemies the French and Germans.

Now they want to dictate to US about the Kurds??? Ridiculous. There was absolutely no refugee problem on the Turkish-Iraqi border as there was in '91. All the Turks want now is to make a power play for the oil fields and to keep the Kurds in subjugation.

Screw the stinking Turks. They are lowlife scum. The Kurds fought with us, helped stabilize the Northern Iraq theater while the Turks sat on their asses and screwed us and then did nothing but complain and threaten to enter the north against our wishes.

Long live the Kurds. The Turks can go to hell.

[gcruse]

Bump for Kurdistan

[AM2000]

.

[a_Turk]

People and their meaningless opinions..

Trying to put foreign troops on Turkish troops was ok, but shoulda kept in mind that none have been there (save small numbers on bases rented to the US) since we kicked all invaders out on their asses after WW1.

Fact remains that Turkey and Israel are very close, neither Turkey, nor the US nor Israel have ever fought each other, and the three will work together on their shared goals in that region for some time to come.

Meanwhile Israel and the USA had been threatened by the Kurdish PKK for their miitary excercises with Turkey (Reliant Mermaid).

Mr. Shalom, the Foreign Minister of Israel is in Turkey right now, hammering out further arms cooperation deals and their shared stance on Irak's future.

So there.

[CurlyDave]

More difficult is dressing the wounds, winning the hearts and establishing a new order that is acceptable to everybody.

It just may not be possible to establish "a new order that is acceptable to everybody". I doubt that the Turks and the Kurds will find common ground.

The Kurds supported the US, fought with our troups, paid in blood and lives for their gains. Turkey left the US hanging and ultimately stabbed us in the back.

All previous history aside, who do you think the US should reward?

Plus, failing to reward the Kurds would hamper us with indigenous opposition forces in future conflicts for years to come.

I vote for helping the Kurds and telling the Turks to leave the Kurds alone.