The over-burdened American soldiers in Iraq are about to be given one more assignment. This time, it is the job of containing the Kurdish fighters from Turkey in northern Iraq.
Turkey says that about 4,000 Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) guerrillas are preparing for attacks in southeastern Turkey from northern Iraq where they have found a safe haven from Turkish forces. The PKK in Turkey has been fighting to create an independent Kurdistan in the Kurd majority area of Turkey. Turkey has warned that if America failed to act it is ready to hit, by launching hot-pursuit operations across the border inside Iraq. America has assured Turkey that it will root out the fighters in northern Iraq.
Turkey invaded northern Iraq in 2003 under similar circumstances to destroy Kurdish insurgents.
Ali Riza Alaboyun, an MP in prime minister Erdogan’s party, said ‘If they (the Kurdish fighters) are killing our soldiers ... and if public pressure on the government increases, of course we will have to intervene. It is the legal right of any country to protect its people and its borders.’
A former Turkish ambassador to Washington, Faruk Logoglu, has warned that military intervention by Turkey could be ‘disastrous’ and will destabilize the whole region.
He also said ‘Once you begin to differentiate between ‘good’ and ‘bad’ terrorist organisations, then you lose the war on terror’ referring to American support to the anti-Iran Kurdish fighters.
Turkey suspects that the American support to the Kurds in Iraq to establish an autonomous Kurdish region with its capital at Kirkuk will help Kurds create an independent Kurdistan, breaking away a large Kurdish populated area in southeastern Turkey.
The US special envoy dealing with the PKK issue, General Joseph Ralston, admitted that possibility of a Turkish cross-border military action was high. He said ‘The pressure of continued attacks by the PKK has placed immense public pressure upon the government of Turkey to take some military action.’
Some other factors also contribute to the tension between the two NATO members.
Turkey is dismayed at the US Congress’ plan to pass a resolution blaming Turkey for the 1915 genocide of Armenians. Relations between Turkey and the USA could take generations to recover if the resolution is passed, Faruk said.
