Iraq Agrees To Fight Kurdish Rebels

In a story being reported, Iraq promised Saturday to work with its neighbors and the U.S. to combat Kurdish guerrillas who have attacked Turkey from hide-outs in the north. The border crisis overshadowed Iraq's other problems at an international conference on the country's future. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice acted as a buffer and go-between for Turkey, an important NATO ally, and the U.S.-backed government in Baghdad. She sought to stave off what the Bush administration fears could become a dangerous new front in the Iraq war, now in its fifth year.
This could bode well for Iraq and Turkey, as cross border fighting is one thing that this area does not need at this time. Turkey has legitimate concerns, as do the Kurds, who are still fighting for recognition for the "genocide" that was perpetrated against them so many years ago. As we have mentioned before, this is something that needs to be addressed, but this is too delicate a time to do it right now. It is a "fact" of history that Turkey refuses to acknowledge, and therefore, we need to find a way for them to acknowledge the "fact" and find a way for Kurds to have some autonomy in the near future, perhaps within the next ten years. This should all be negotiated, "behind" the scenes, so more public animosity doesn't lead to the feared Turkish invasion of Iraq to root out Kurdish rebels, who continually attack across the border, and then take sanctuary in Iraq!

This has been going on for quite while as this post from June indicates:
Thursday, June 07, 2007

Turkey Chases Rebels In Iraq
There were reports yesterday that hundreds of Turkish troops had crossed into norther Iraq at the border across from the Turkish city of Cukurca on Wednesday morning.

The Turkish foreign minister denies that any incursion took place though one of the Turkish security officials said it was a "hot pursuit" raid after Kurdish rebels of the PKK Kurdistan Worker's Party, had opened fire from Iraqi soil on Turkish patrols.

The Turkish goverment has threatened a massive incursion if the rebels continue to attack Turkish troops and civilians and then flee back into Iraq for safe haven. The Turkish officials say they are fighting a war on terrorism just as the United States is and they must protect their citizens.
Reaction from our Miltary was that they did not see any indications that this incursion occurred, but they would not be more specific, because of the sensitivity of the information.

United States officials in the region have confirmed that if there was an incursion it would be as a continuation of Turkey's years-long campaign against the Kurdish PKK guerrillas of Kurdistan Workers' Party.

The Turkish invasion scenario is one of those worst case ones that the United States is trying to avoid. The Turkish government opposes any formation of a separate Kurdistan, as the Kurds that reside in southern Turkey would want to join and it is why the rebels fight to try and get their own homeland back.
This is a difficult question, but Turkey has long been a good ally and we need to stand with them for now. However, at some point , there should be a diplomatic settlement to the Kurdish question, but only after they lay down their arms and stop killing civilians.

Please read the story of the Turkish incursion and I also have a link to an excellent article about Turkey, the Kurds and their long struggle to have an independent Kurdistan.
Thanks!

turkeys history with the kurds

kurds




Anyway, it seems that for the moment the Turkey "invasion" will be on hold, though there were no promises made by Turkey, perhaps they will give this latest strategy a little time to succeed!


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