Kurds flee homes as Iran shells Iraq's northern frontier

Ain't no way the U.S. will be drawn into fighting Turkey or Iran in order to defend the Kurds from the consequences of the PKK's actions. No way. The PKK is definitely a terrorist group by anyone's definition and it would make the U.S. look so hypocritical during the "war on terror" it wouldn't be funny.

 

My friend i agree they are a terrorist group, but there a very wealthy terrorist group. the largest chunk of iraq's oil in situated up there. the us will portect with it's life.

 

If Iran outright invaded, of course the U.S. will react severely. But this won't happen. What I meant was the U.S. will not get into a shooting match with Iran if they shell the PKK inside Iraq. It makes me nervous but I can't blame Iran on this one.

Let's be consistent: People who supported Israel's right to invade Lebanon have no right to condemn Iran for firing shells at the PKK. That said, I don't like it at all. The U.S. really needs to put the squeeze on the Kurds but they have other things on their mind in Iraq.

 

Iran will never Attack Any Iraqi land. thats a non-issue. turkey has a much bigger problem with those scum's then what we do. I can see Turkey sending there Special forces to takeout the kurdish leaders. the turks now they wont get away with invading northen iraq. the us has way to much at stake to allow the yturk to waltz in and takeover whatever they please.

 

QUESTION: Who are the Kurds? Why are they 'hated'?

Rocket River

 

I am Kurd and we are hated because we are feared. We are feared because we want power.

 

Really? How would we stop them? All our troops are in Baghdad trying to keep a lid on stuff before the November elections. Also, couldn't Turkey just claim the Bush Doctrine is in force and they feel the need to preemptively take out the Kurds as they are terrorists? We could either be with Turkey in their fight against terrorism or against them. The only leverage we have with Turkey is economic and if Turkey's smart, they'll take what they want now and claim good faith later... with the Middle East about to go crazy, Europe and the US would be forced to deal with Turkey as they would be the only stable place left and occupy a critical geographic position.

From the national interest of the US, we have little we can really do here or elsewhere, thanks to the Bush decision to invade, the Bush decision that leaving equals losing, and the general incompetence of Bush and his people. We have a President that is woefully short of the skills required, a doddering Secretary of Defense and a scheming VP who have lost all ideas about what America stands for, and a Secretary of State overmatched by the job at hand and controlled by those mentioned above. To top it off, we have a Congress that has failed its Constitutional duties miserably. It would'nt be so bad if we were France or The Netherlands, but our screwups affect everyone on the globe, especially when they are of this magnitude. I'm truly sorry.

 

rimrocker, Turkey is our longtime ally. They are a key member of NATO. The carrot of possible membership in the EU (of which the U.S. and Britain are champions of Turkey's cause) is another major issue. BTW, it's the U.S. and Britain who have troops in Iraq.

The bottom line is Turkey has so much to lose diplomatically that they wouldn't do it.

 

Utah Jazz fans.

 

Understood, and I was probably imprecise when I used "economic" to mean just what you have described. My point is, that carrot's been dangling for awhile and if you are Turkey, it might bear consideration to look at stomping on the Kurds and delaying that carrot for a bit longer. Again, given Turkey's history and geopolitical position and the fact that the ME is going bonkers, Europe and the US are almost forced to deal with Turkey regardless. If Turkey's practicing Realpolitick, they'll take what the want, do a mea culpa with the West, and be in a similar position a few years from now.

Also, the ME is so fluid right now, I think the only absolute is that the Bush administration will continue to choose the wrong path. Every other assumption is ripe for an overturn.

 

You know, I had a wonderful drive to and from Montana a while back... except for the stretch from Provo to Ogden... Jazz fans... ugh.

 

Truth.