Article

2003-01-08 Axis of Evil

Archived material is restricted to Rantburg regulars and members. If you need access email fred.pruitt=at=gmail.com with your nick to be added to the members list. There is no charge to join Rantburg as a member.

Posted by Steve 2003-01-08 08:29 am|| || Front Page|| [3 views since 2007-05-07] Top

#1 A major problem with this scenario is that it would reunite the Turkish and Iraqi Kurds into a single political entity -- part of Turkey. You can bet the Turks don't want that, since it allows the Kurds to demand more autonomy or even a separate state. Indeed, the grab would make it likely that the Kurds would agitate for this. And I don't see how the Turks could grab Mosul and Kirkuk without picking up a lot of new Kurdish, er, "citizens", unless they gerrymander the new map in ways that would make a Chicago alderman proud.

Posted by Steve White 2003-01-08 11:38:51|| 2003-01-08 11:38:51|| Front Page Top

#2 I like turkey - if they want some oil fields they can have them. International law is just what we push onto the losers.

Hmm coffee too strong...

Posted by flash91 2003-01-08 11:52:38|| 2003-01-08 11:52:38|| Front Page Top

#3 I like Turkey too, but when can we tell them to shut up and accept a Kurdish state. Turkey puts so much diplomatic capital into keeping the Kurds down that I have to imagine that they'd actually be better off with a prosperous, free, and grateful Kurdistan on their border, even if part of it has to be carved out of their current territory. I'm sure there's complex political reasons, ancient ethnic hatreds, blah blah blah. Screw 'em. Let joint Turkish/Kurdish companies pump the oil and everyone can get fat and happy.

Posted by Hermetic 2003-01-08 12:02:08|| 2003-01-08 12:02:08|| Front Page Top

#4 As Fred wrote, the Turks could claim historical rights to oil revenue without seizing Iraqi sovereign territory. Pumping stations are low tech. Even if the Iraqis destroyed every existing northern station, the Turks could have crude on trucks in a few weeks. By the way, a high percentage of Kurds recognize that separate statehood is non viable in their landlocked region. The Turks could throw money at the problem.

Posted by Anonymous 2003-01-08 13:56:46|| 2003-01-08 13:56:46|| Front Page Top

#5 From the Kurds perspecitve, are any of the options ( turk takeover, Kurd autonomy, combination therein) worse than the conditions they have now?

From the Turk perspective, are any of the options putting them at a weaker positon than they are if nothing is done?

I dont think the Kurds are Palestinians, they will take half a loaf. The Turks live at the crossroads of the world, that makes them natural hagglers. The Turks will cut a deal, the kurds will accept it.

Posted by Frank Martin 2003-01-08 14:31:08|| [varifrank.blogspot.com] 2003-01-08 14:31:08|| Front Page Top

#6 "His Excellency, the President of the Republic of Turkey, Protector of the Kurds..." It's a stretch, but it could happen...

Posted by Fred 2003-01-08 18:00:03|| 2003-01-08 18:00:03|| Front Page Top

#7 well, I hope the first theing they do is hire a PR agent because it wont be too long before people start wanting to put the words "Turk" and "Kurd" together, coming up with a somewhat scatalogical option that niether party would be happy with.

Posted by Frank Martin 2003-01-08 19:50:13|| [varifrank.blogspot.com] 2003-01-08 19:50:13|| Front Page Top

04:22 Anonymous
10:10 Anonymous
09:50 Anonymous
09:28 Anonymous
07:42 Bobbing4Kittens
07:40 someone
07:38 theSarge
02:16 Anonymous
23:25 Steve White
22:25 mojo
22:14 mojo
21:36 Alaska Paul
21:32 Alaska Paul
21:29 Fred
21:23 RW
21:18 Steve
21:11 Fred
19:50 Frank Martin
19:47 Anonymous
19:41 Anonymous
19:40 Anonymous
19:39 Anonymous
18:43 JDB
18:40 Frank G