Turkey, the PKK, Iraq, and President Bush’s War on Terrorism

By Brigitte L. Nacos
"The Turkish parliament on Wednesday overwhelmingly authorized cross-border military attacks in northern Iraq against Kurdish separatist rebels, as world leaders pleaded for restraint. As the votes were tallied in Turkey's modernistic legislative chamber here, President Bush told reporters at a White House news conference that 'we are making it very clear to Turkey that we don't think it is in their interest to send troops into Iraq.' "
Washington Post, Oct. 18, 2007 

After 9/11, when President George W. Bush launched the “war on terrorism,” he pledged to fight and eradicate terrorism everywhere. But he obviously meant to go after terrorists and terrorism that affect the United States directly or indirectly. Otherwise, he could not tell the Turkish government to refrain from aggressively fighting an organization that has committed violence against Turks in Turkey and elsewhere for a long time. While the end of brutal oppression of the Kurds in Northern Iraq by Saddam Hussein’s regime is one of the good consequences of the Iraq War, the fact that the PKK has been able to operate freely in the jurisdiction of the Kurdish regional government and launch attacks from there on Turkey, is a very bad result. As the New York Times reports today, “More than two dozen Turks, some of them civilians, have been killed in cross-border rebel [emphasis added] attacks in the past several weeks…” (Note, that the term used in the above quote is “rebel” not “terrorist” with respect to PKK attacks in contrast to the common use of the terms “terrorist” and “terrorism” in the context of such strikes on U.S. and Iraqi targets inside Iraq). In view of the strengthened PKK and its violence, it seems disingenuous for this president to urge the Ankara government to exercise restraint although he and his administration have aggressively fought the war on terrorism abroad and on foreign soil without listening to appeals for moderation and more time for diplomacy to work things out.

The United States has the PKK on its list of terrorist organizations and should not allow the PKK to operate on the very territory on which the U.S. military is fighting the most important battle against terrorism, as we have been told time and again by the President, Vice President, and their supporters.
The European Union, too, is trying to prevent Turkey from using its military more aggressively against the PKK on Iraqi soil—although the EU, too, considers the Kurdistan Workers Party a terrorist organization. EU members know, since the PKK has struck and killed and maimed innocent persons in Western Europe as well.
The New York Times reports, that the “consequences of a large-scale raid [of the Turkish military into Iraq] would be severe. Turkey is seeking acceptance into the European Union, a bid that would probably be seriously harmed if it invaded.” The EU and especially its most influential western European members have dragged their feet long before the latest developments with respect to admitting the reliable NATO partner into the EU, while quickly and eagerly granting membership to central and eastern European countries.

If you exercise your right to defend yourself and fight terrorism—even on foreign soil, say in Afghanistan and Iraq, you are hardly in a position to ask others to act differently.

My point here is not to argue in favor of the Turkish government using its mighty military for a massive incursion into Northern Iraq, my point is to question the moral authority of the U.S. administration and the motives of the EU on this count. 

Comments

[Brigitte]

Yes, Haydar, I agree--and since the U.S. military doesn't do anything, it is hypocritical of Washington and the EU to ask Turkey to refrain from defending against attacks on its citizens.

[Haydar]

US military in Iraq steering clear of Kurdish fight. US supposed to be the military police of the world and top military commander said they'd do absolutely nothing if terrorists operating in his region. How come? Does that make sense to anyone, please?

[ert masa]

well nothing to say about this article. it reflects complete reality. well written.

[ert masa]

well nothing to say about this article. it reflects complete reality. well written.

[ert masa]

well nothing to say about this article. it reflects complete reality. well written.

[aop]

Agreed on the hypocritical stance of the US and EU - I also think the claims of calamity if limited operations do occur are over stated.