nolan...some history

gardenweasel

el guapo
Forum Member
Jan 10, 2002
40,588
234
63
"the bunker"
why is it the turks are looking to feck with the kurds at all costs....now they are sending troops to the border and the indication is,they aren`t going for lunch.... why can`t the turks keep it in their pants?.....at least for the time being....
 

rebel

Registered User
Forum Member
Aug 12, 2001
484
0
0
58
Stockholm, Sweden
Gardenweasel here is an essay on kurds if you like


A People Without a State

Introduction

Of all the ethnic groups in the world, the Kurds are one of the
largest that has no state to call their own. According to historian
William Westermann, "The Kurds can present a better claim to race
purity...than any people which now inhabits Europe." (Bonner, p. 63,
1992) Over the past hundred years, the desire for an independent
Kurdish state has created conflicts mainly with the Turkish and Iraqi
populations in the areas where most of the Kurds live. This conflict
has important geographical implications as well. The history of the
Kurdish nation, the causes for these conflicts, and an analysis of the
situation will be discussed in this paper.

FULL essay HERE
 

Nolan Dalla

Registered User
Forum Member
Sep 7, 2000
1,201
2
0
Washington, DC/Las Vegas, NV
Gardenweasel:

I'm starting get far removed from any special knowledge about the Turkish Government's position vis-a-vis the Kurds and Iraq. It's been almost three years since I worked for Turkey so I am now into the game of speculation.

While I was there I always sensed a great deal of paranoia on the part of Turks towards the Kurds. The PKK committed some pretty despicable acts, but for the most part the Kurds have belnded into Turkish society (albeit forced assimiliation).

My guess is that Turkey now sees once and for all the opportunity to END this problem. The war with the PKK has cost Turkey an estimated $80 billion (old figures) and an estimated 70,000 lives in the ten year conflict. Turkey si burdened with thousands of refugees (Kurds) who flooded inot the three Turkish provinces along the Iraqi border -- all fleeing the post 1991 war. Refugee camps are always rife with potential uprising, so Turkey, no doubt, wants to settle this issue.

I do not know if Turkey plans to move all the Kurds back across the border in a post-war Iraq. I suspect Turkey would be in favor of carving out a Kurdish State in Northern Iraq (but I don't know this for a fact). If US leaders do not use this opportunity (assuming victory in Iraq) to create a Kurdish State, then that will be yet another horrensous example of short-sightedness that will create inevitable conflicts in years ahead.

If I were advising the Turks, I'd pretty much advise them to continue what they are doing. Drive the Kurds out of Southwestern Turkey and back into Northern Iraq (and allow for the free passage of refugees) -- then assist in humanitarian aid during the resettlement process.

-- Nolan Dalla
 
Bet on MyBookie
Top