Information and liaison bulletin - Institut kurde de Paris

Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Ozeti
* the Australian
November 16. 2007
Raid into Iraq imminent, Turkish general says
TURKEY is in the process of implementing a cross-border operation against Kurdish guerrillas
who use northern Iraq as a base to launch attacks, a senior Turkish general said today.
From correspondents in Ankara
But there were no immediate signs of increased
military activity along Turkey's mountainous
border with Iraq on overnight, Reuters reporters in
the region said, suggesting any offensive may still
be in the preparatory stages.
"We are in the process of implementing the crossborder
operation," General llker Basbug, head of
the land forces and the second most powerful man
in the armed forces, said at a diplomatic recep¬
tion.
Gen Basbug did not specify what he meant by
implementing an operation, but the military has
for weeks been boosting their presence along the
border.
Analysts also say authorities have stepped up the
rhetoric to pressure US and Iraqi authorities to
move against the rebels.
Turkey has amassed as many as 100,000 troops,
backed by warplanes, helicopters and tanks, for a
possible cross-border incursion to root out the
separatist rebels, blamed by Ankara for a series of
attacks on its security personnel.
FINANCIAL TIMES
A Reuters reporter in the northern Iraqi town of
Zakhu, which is close to the border with Turkey,
said he could not hear any explosions or the sound
of aircraft flying overhead.
The situation in the town appeared normal, he
said.
One senior US military official in Baghdad said he
was not immediately aware of any Turkish action.
Officials from the Iraqi government could not be
reached for comment.
Yesterday security sources said Turkey had sent
hundreds of special forces to the border to bolster
its forces there.
Washington has urged Ankara to avoid a large-scale
incursion, fearing it could destabilise the most
peaceful part of Iraq and cause a bigger regional
crisis.
Gen Basbug's comments followed a reaffirmation
by the government this week that Turkey was
ready to carry out an offensive against some 3000
Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) militants based in
the mountains of northern Iraq.
The PKK took up arms in 1984 with the aim of
creating an ethnic homeland in mainly Kurdish
southeast Turkey.
Nearly 40,000 people have been killed in the
conflict.
NATO-member Turkey has staged limited raids,
predominantly air strikes, in the past month across
the mountainous frontier against the rebels.
"Turkish armed forces have been doing crossborder
operations for years and they has been
November 15 2007 By Wesley Clark
Just over a week after US presi¬ mands for a decisive military solu¬
dent George W. Bush and Re¬ tion. Turkish popular opinion stron¬
cep Tayyip Erdogan, Turkey's gly supported attacks on rebel base
prime minister, met in Washington, camps inside Iraqi Kurdistan, and
Turkish troops remained poised to the Turkish armed forces have
move across the border into Iraqi mobilised more than 100,000
Kurdistan in an attempt to destroy troops on the Iraqi border, setting
elements of the Kurdistan Workers the stage for a massive Turkish
party (PKK). We can only hope that invasion of northern Iraq that would
a solution based on the idea of joint have disastrous consequences.
co-operation against the PKK that
seemed to be forged in the Oval
Office meeting, focusing on diplo¬
matic engagement between the US,
Turkey, Iraq and the Kurdistan
Regional Government, will trump
the still-looming military assault.
On paper all wars seem simple.
Turkish military planners may hope
that one bold thrust into Iraqi Kur¬
distan will, once and for all, eradi¬
cate the PKK. A glance at what
soldiers call the "troop-to-task" ratio
might suggest that the job could be
The Turks are understandably done quickly. Turkey has a very
angry and ready for war. Accumula¬ good army and it would seem
ted frustrations over recent attacks feasible that 100,000 well-trained
by the PKK erupted in public de- and fully equipped Turkish troops
successful so far," Gen Basbug said, answering
criticism about the effectiveness of previous
offensives in northern Iraq.
He said that if such operations had not been carried
out there would be 10,000 rebels rather than the
5000 PKK fighters estimated to be in Iraq and
Turkey.
Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan said this
week a military operation was still planned, despite
logistical difficulties as winter closes in across the
rugged region.
Last week, Mr Erdogan urged US President George
W. Bush in Washington to crack down on the
militants.
Invasion is wrong answer to
Turkey's problems
could quickly capture or kill 3,000
PKK rebels hiding in an area so¬
mewhat larger than Maryland.
But war is never simple. The friction
and fog of war always conspire to
make the actual combat far more
complex, time consuming and
bloodier than the sterile and opti¬
mistic plans written in the comfort of
remote headquarters. Even a milita¬
ry genius like Alexander the Great
was stalled by the inhospitable
terrain of southern Turkey and
northern Iraq. Despite popular
longing for a quick military solution,
a Turkish invasion of Iraq would
bring only stalemate, frustration and
- more ominously - destabilise the
region, undermine US-Turkish
relations for decades, and jeopar¬
dise the stability and prosperity of
Iraq has pledged to hunt down and arrest PKK
leaders. But Baghdad has little influence over the
semi-autonomous Kurdish region in the north and
the success of any measures against the PKK would
depend on cooperation of Kurdish authorities.
Turkey's parliament approved last month a go¬
vernment request to be able to launch cross-border
operations into northern Iraq.
Iraq's Kurdistan region.
Turkey will certainly benefit by
continuing on the more creative and
diplomatic path now being pursued
by Mr Erdogan. He has secured a
US promise to share intelligence
and to co-operate in neutralising
PKK elements in Iraq and preven¬
ting their movement across the
border. He should open a dialogue
with the KRG to formulate joint
measures to prevent the PKK from
striking Turkey from Iraqi territory.
To that end, he needs to embrace
the establishment of four-party talks
between Turkey, Iraq, the US and
the KRG. This must be the way
forward.
War is not the answer, especially
given the creative alternatives
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