[More of W's Mongolian Cluster ...] Turkey Signals It's Prepared to Enter Iraq

How many problems would be solved if northern Iraq and south-eastern Turkey were made into Kurdistan, the Sunni dominated areas of Iraq were made into Sunnistan, the West Bank outside of the security wall was annexed by Jordan with the residents granted full citizenship, the Golan heights and Shebaa Farms annexed by Israel, and Gaza made into an independent nation (or maybe annexed by Egypt)? Then we figure out an equitable division of Kashmir and something to do in Chechnya and half of the world's violence is ended.

 

I think Turkey is doing some sabre rattling so that their problems with Kurdish guerillas aren't forgotten in everything else going on. It would be a big mistake on the part of Turkey to enter Iraq as it would put them on a collision course with the US and also create big problems for all regional parties as the one stable part of Iraq also becomes chaotic. I can't imagine Turkey is rationally considering this right now but then again rationality is in short supply in the Middle East at the moment.

 

The Gaza could not sustain itself. Shebaa farms should go to Syria to whom it lawfully belongs at the moment.

I disagree with the other divisions you mentioned, or I at least believe that Turkey wouldn't be willing to give up that land, and the neither the Jordanians nor the Palestinians in the occupied territory would like those agreements either.

 

Those would create more problems than they would solve. Neither Iran, Syria and many of the Arab states are interested in a Kurdistan as it would be a base and magnet for restive Kurds in those countries too. A Sunni country carved out of central Iraq would be extremely poor, no oil, and would likely become a breeding ground for Sunni extremists. Israel doesn't necessarily want Shebaa Farms but doesn't know if it belongs to Syria or Lebanon and the Golan heights is valuable for water resources as well as strategic value. Syria and possibly Jordan wouldn't accept Israel outrightly annexing it. The Jordanians or Egyptians no longer have any interests in annexing Palestinian areas and if they did the Palestinians would accept it either.

The solution to peace at least regarding Israel is return to 1967 borders, free access to religious sites by all parties and Palestinians dropping right of return.

 

I think that your comparison is a little out of whack. First, the government of Lebanon is not only talking with Hezbollah, but Hezbollah is an active participant in the government. That is in stark contrast to the Turkish Kurds who, as the article indicated, the government of Turkey refuses to even talk with. Second, you aren't talking about Kurds in Iraq attacking Turkey, but Turkish Kurds operating in Turkey. Third, that the Iraqi Kurish leadership agrees there is a problem is wholly unlike the situation with Hezbollah. At a minimum the US can certainly say 'don't intervene in Iraq while we try to work something out between parties that do want to work something out.' That is not the situation between Hezbollah and Israel. So I don't think there is a double standard there at all.

 

We control Iraq, yet we allow the Kurdish terrorists to act without trying to stop them; are we not supporting terrorists in the same way Hezbollah is not being stopped by Lebanese government?

If you harbor a terrorist you are a terrorist!

WE ARE TERRORISTS!

 

Calm down. You're getting a little shrill there, buddy. Switch to decaf.

I'm not sure where there is an indication that we are not trying to stop cross border support of Turkish guerillas. Nor am I sure who has claimed the Lebanese government is supporting terrorism - more realistically most commentary suggests there is little they can do about Hezbollah. OTOH the Iraqi Kurds have at least expressed the sentiment that they recognize its a problem and are willing to try and work something out.

 

I'm pretty sure he's talking about Turkey.

 

As to your second point, I think that the article statess taht the PKK and other Kurdish groups are attacking in Turkey from bases in Iraq, like Hizbollah attacks Israel from Lebanon:

I'm not sure what the realtionship between the PKK and other turkish kurds are with Kurdish controlled-Iraq authorities but I'd find it hard to believe that there's no connection between the two considering that they all have the same goal.

 

It certainly wouldn't be popular because a lot of financial interests are being harmed, but everybody ends up living with people who are basically like them, and with some proper oversight, I think it could work. It is never going to happen of course, because no one is going to give up territory and resources for nothing.

 

Sam....that eastern Turkey trip on hold???

 

Cappadocia is what I decided on anyway!

 

delete

 

Everyone wants to be a neocon nowadays.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060719/ap_on_re_af/somalia_ethiopia

 

Nechirvan Barzani, prime minister of the Kurdistan regional government in northern Iraq, appeared to be addressing Turkish concerns when he said Tuesday that Iraqi Kurds "won't allow anyone to harm our neighbors by using our territory."

The key part would seem to be where the author says Barzani is addressing Turkish concerns. They clearly implies he is talking about Turkey.

You're right that it does appear they are attacking from Iraq. I still don't think that lends itself to comparisons with Hezbollah however. Israel wasn't in Lebanon anymore, so Hezbollah's incursion into Israel isn't a comparable action. Nor does this affect the other differences.

What does this have to do with neoconservatism?

 

This was predicted years ago by Bush I, Cheney and Powell and Schwartzkopf when they worked for Bush I. This is why they didn't do the going to Baghdad foolishness of the not so prodigal son.

 

This problem with Turkey and the Kurds was predicted years ago by Bush I, Cheney and Powell and Schwartzkopf,when they worked for Bush I. This is one of their listed reasons why they didn't do the going to Baghdad foolishness of the hapless Dubya.

 

Replace Turkey with Isreal
and Replace Kurds with Hezabollah
and how is this situation any different than the one
happening in Lebanon?

Rocket River