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| Iraq |
| Kurds vow to fight Turkish invaders |
| 2003-03-04 |
| The American plan to form a northern front against Saddam Hussein slipped deeper into crisis yesterday when Kurdish leaders made clear they would resist any attempt by Turkey to occupy Iraqi Kurdistan, even if it was a member of the American-led coalition. "Nope, we don't like 'em, no matter who their friends are. Nope, nope." The Kurds have already declared they would fight if Turkey unilaterally occupied a swath of territory in northern Iraq with the intention of limiting Kurdish influence in Iraq after the overthrow of President Saddam. Hoshyar Zebari, a Kurdish leader, said yesterday that even if Turkey joined the coalition in the war against Baghdad the Kurds would have to be assured that this was not a smokescreen for the occupation of Iraqi Kurdistan. Mr Zebari, picking his words carefully, said: "Unless the end-game is clear we will resist." "We might fight 'em even if the end-game is clear. We're Kurds after all, not French!" The Kurds fear America might fix up a deal whereby Turkey nominally joined the coalition against President Saddam, but in practice would seek to extinguish the de facto independence enjoyed by the Iraqi Kurds for the past decade. Rest easy, Mr. Zebari, the odds of our selling you out went down considerably over the weekend. The plan to squeeze President Saddam, with American forces advancing from the north as well as the south, was already in disarray after the Turkish parliament rejected a deal on Saturday for Turkey to provide bases for US troops. Washington now faces the problem that, even if it eventually reaches an agreement with Turkey, the first shots of a second war with Iraq could be fired between two of its allies, the Turks and the Kurds. Yesterday tens of thousands of Kurdish demonstrators poured through the streets of Arbil, the largest Kurdish city, chanting: "Yes to Liberation! No to Occupation!" Criminy, what is it with people in this region? All they have to do all day is stage demonstrations? Anyone work in that area? I thought southern Kurdistan was a relative paradise! Fear of a Turkish invasion has made many Kurds believe they might be the first casualties of an American-led war. The Iraqi opposition is seeking to send a delegation to Ankara to persuade Turkey not to attack, but it will not go unless the Turkish government says it will receive them. It also wants America to join the talks. Many Kurds believe that they are on the eve of a third betrayal by the US, saying that Washington had twice let them down in the past; once in 1975 when President Saddam crushed a Kurdish rebellion and again in 1991 when he destroyed the Kurdish uprising after the Gulf War. I can undersdtand how they might feel that way. Mr Zebari was more diplomatic about Kurdish suspicions. But he said: "The Turks and the Americans have kept us in the dark." He added that the Iraqi Kurds had received mixed signals from Turkey, with one official telling them the Turkish army would "advance 60km [37 miles] which would mean occupation". If America does allow Turkey to launch its own war against the Kurds in Iraq, Mr Zebari said, "clashes would be unavoidable". The Kurdistan Democratic Party, which controls western Kurdistan, has a regular army of 62,000 men, though some 12,000 of these are involved in logistics and administration. The Patriotic Union of Kurdistan has a somewhat smaller regular force of about 40,000 men. In the face of the Turkish threat the KDP and the PUK have established a joint military command and deployed some Peshmerga [Kurdish soldiers] closer to the border with Turkey. The only circumstances in which Kurds might accept Turkish soldiers crossing into northern Iraq is if they were under American command and on their way to attack Iraqi forces further south. They would also need to know when the Turkish army was planning to withdraw from Iraq. "Might not even let 'em through then!" At heart the Kurdish leaders know that the de facto independence of Kurdistan depended on peculiar circumstances. America and Britain provided a military guarantee through regular air patrols. This would end with the installation of a pro-American government in Baghdad. By becoming the focal point of the Iraqi opposition in recent months the Kurds want to make sure that they are not politically isolated in future. The best guarantee of their autonomy in a federal Iraq is to ensure that they are a strong political power in Baghdad in a post-Saddam era. The Kurdish leaders also need to keep good relations with America, on whom they ultimately rely for their security against Turkey. They were gratified by the arrival of Zalmay Khalilzad, Washington's envoy to the Iraqi opposition, on their territory for an opposition conference that ended on Saturday. To emphasise that they are not a negligible military force Kurdish troops lined the road down which Mr Khalilzad returned to Turkey. This is going to get ugly. Soon. |
| Posted by:Steve White |
| #18 Remember, Robert Fisk has his job because he's supposed to be an expert on the Islamic world. |
| Posted by: Patrick Phillips 2003-03-04 13:57:43 |
| #17 Murat, You have succeeded in prompting much discussion of Turkey on this board. That is a good thing and may we all learn a lot. Also, you could be criticized in much the same way you criticize Becky for your insufficient, assumption-filled, and thinly detailed analysis of the American people/culture/motives. As, I'm sure, could I for my assumptions on many subjects, etc. How interesting of you to pick on the one poster on this board who has a discernibly female name... Let's maintain a civil discussion. |
| Posted by: mjh 2003-03-04 13:44:03 |
| #16 I hope one doesn't have to be an expert in everything to comment on this board, otherwise I would never be able to. I think a lot more can be gained by trying to listen to and learn from the others that post here rather than to degrade them, namely Becky, for stating their (her) opinion. |
| Posted by: Anonymous 2003-03-04 10:55:25 |
| #15 There are alot of us that are not experts on Turkey or the Kurds. I read a background article recently in the Asia Times on the Kurds, and the history is so complicated that I am glad that they did not have a quiz at the end. This ethnic stuff gets hot, impassioned, and irrational---quick! Becky is just trying to find some common ground so as to create some kind of a win-win for everyone. That is an admirable thing to do. |
| Posted by: Alaska Paul 2003-03-04 09:44:53 |
| #14 btw Murat - how's that Stock Market doin'? |
| Posted by: Frank G 2003-03-04 08:51:38 |
| #13 Oh..and by the way, Murat, for the benefit of the other readers I would like to note that I've never claimed to be anything other than a casual observer following the war with no expertise - only interest. Claiming that I fancy myself some sort of expert is just another lie and distortion brought to us courtesy of Murat. |
| Posted by: becky 2003-03-04 08:42:39 |
| #12 Murat - it would be impossible for you to hurt my feelings. |
| Posted by: becky 2003-03-04 08:22:44 |
| #11 Y'all have probably seen this by now, but if not, check out this recent interview in Der Spiegel with Ahmad Berwari, the German representative of Iraqi Kurdish opposition group PUK: http://www.usefulwork.com/shark/archives/000517.html The money quote is also the headline: "We see the Americans as liberators." On Sharkansky's blog, linked by Instapundit. |
| Posted by: jrosevear 2003-03-04 08:18:07 |
| #10 becky - I've followed this board for a while now, and you seem the one trying to pose as a Turkey-, Iraq- and middle east expert, don't want to hurt your feelings but so far I have noticed that you are the one knowing the least about the area. It's sometimes quite amusing since you are not the only one lately, even some American journalist popped up as experts. Most of them don't even know the difference of the people, sunni, shia, Kurd, Turk, Iranian, Persian, Arab. Maybe we should call this virtual internet expertise. |
| Posted by: Murat 2003-03-04 08:02:25 |
| #9 How about a U.N. Trust Territory for Kurdistan, like we had for Micronesia? Turks run it, giving up some territory in Turkey to it. In return, they get to protect the Turk populations around Mosul and Kirkuk, administer the oil fields, and generally steer Kurdistan towards stability and security for both Turks and Kurds. |
| Posted by: Chuck 2003-03-04 07:57:14 |
| #8 I agree. A while back, Instapundit had a link (most likely a link to Rantburg) about how Iraq was going to be divided up btwn ethnic and ancient lines of Turkey/Jordan/"Republic of Kurdistan"/Iran/Shia's etc. It actually was a good idea - but we probably chucked it because we wanted so badly to have the Turks allow US troops in. The Turks gave up that big bargaining chip and screwed us in the process. I think it's time to go back and find a nice little solution that allows the Turks money from the oil wells AND a Republic of Kurdistan. I'm willing to bet it CAN be done. If the Kurds in Turkey get ideas - then they can migrate to Kurdistan. And if Turkey has an oppressed population of unhappy Kurds, that's really their problem, now isn't it? The money from the oil wells will help them get over it. Best to find a solution that makes everyone happy than to jam an unworkable solution down everyones throats. Bottom line, they didn't give us the front and even if they do it's got trouble written all over it. Back to the drawing boards. Fools rush in. |
| Posted by: becky 2003-03-04 07:36:42 |
| #7 I agree w. most of the sentiment expressed here. In response to Becky's post, I think the most disturbing news item I've seen thus far is that the new Turkish government was vetting treaties from the time of the Ottoman Empire to see if any still applied. They're looking for territorial claims to those oil fields you mentioned. |
| Posted by: mjh 2003-03-04 07:17:19 |
| #6 Well,the Turk's have made thier decision. They have cut themselves out of any say in what happens in Kurdistan and any forthcoming U.S.aid. Hope the Priesident doesn't screw the Kurds.(agin) |
| Posted by: raptor 2003-03-04 06:41:00 |
| #5 If I were the Kurds, I'd be nervous. Everyone talks as if the Turks are nervous nellies just trying to do the right thing. But I think their actions have seemed consistently predatory and self-interested. Don't get me wrong, I don't wish the Turks any ill will. But those oil fields are worth buckets of money - enough to make a weak economy strong and I haven't seen any indications that the Turks intend to be chivalrous in this regard. In fact, all the warning indicators have bright flashing lights going whooo whooo whooo. Everyone trys to wish them away saying, Oh...they would never do that. Hmmmm. |
| Posted by: becky 2003-03-04 05:04:58 |
| #4 Well, the Kurds are not alone. The Lebanese. They've been occupied for Syria for ages, and no one cares. The Kashmiris have to put up with Indians and Pakistanis shelling each other, and religious nutters on both sides. At least the Tibetans have Richard Gere. |
| Posted by: Jeremy 2003-03-04 01:40:20 |
| #3 Everybody wants to protect Arab-palestinians and Iraq babies. Nobody wants to protect Kurds. |
| Posted by: Anon 2003-03-04 00:36:32 |
| #2 Murat - it would be impossible for you to hurt my feelings. |
| Posted by: becky 3/4/2003 8:22:44 AM |
| #1 Well,the Turk's have made thier decision. They have cut themselves out of any say in what happens in Kurdistan and any forthcoming U.S.aid. Hope the Priesident doesn't screw the Kurds.(agin) |
| Posted by: raptor 3/4/2003 6:41:00 AM |