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June 8, 2007
NEWS
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The Globe
Worrying political developments in the triangle of Iraq, Kurdistan and Turkey not only complicates the Iraqi crisis but it further drives the region towards more dangerous waters. At the root of the conflict lies the century long Kurdish national question.
The Iraqi Kurdish leadership in particular and southern Kurds in general are fighting two battles in two fronts. In the south, they are facing both the Al-Maliki government and mounting Shiite-Sunni conflict. Al-Maliki government so far has failed to materialize basic Kurdish demands including the question of Kirkuk, the oil law, and economic relations between the Iraqi central government and Kurdistan region. The Iraqi insurgency on the other hand represents not only strong anti-Americanism but at the same time stands against the basic Kurdish national-democratic rights. Terrorism in Iraq is supported by those regional powers who do not want to see rising of a pluralistic, democratic and federal Iraq. Such an Iraq would pose a serious threat to their regimes.
In the north the Kurds have to deal with Turkey, a country which stands against anything that is associated with Kurds. Turkish menace with regard to the southern Kurds is not based on PKK camps in southern Kurdistan. It is the political status of the southern Kurds and their land that worries Ankara the most. The Kurdish determination of applying the article 140 of Iraqi constitution which deals with the resolution of Kirkuk issue angers the Turks even more as they fear that inclusion of Kirkuk would further strengthen the political power of Kurdistan region. This week's Dukan meeting between Massoud Barzani and Jalal Talabani and Kurdistan Regional Assembly session on Monday once again indicated the determination of the Kurds to stick to the article 140.
Turkey is going to present a report to the United Nations this week to spell out its concerns about PKK activities which Turkey implies supported and sheltered by the southern Kurds. Turkey is testing international diplomacy to get mandate for its action in Iraqi Kurdistan.
Despite such diplomatic moves and increasing Turkish military threats for incursion into southern Kurdistan, the possibility of a large scale military operation is almost out of question for two main reasons.
Firstly, any Turkish attack into the south would definitely agitate millions of Kurds in Turkey and would bring the Kurds residing at the both sides much closer. A strong resistance by the Kurdish Peshmarga forces and millions of ordinary Kurds would prevent any military success of Turkish forces.
Secondly, Iraq as a whole is still under the full control of US forces and the US did not invade Iraq in order to allow its neighbors to race their horses freely. Turkish incursion into Iraq without the US authorization would diminish the US regional credibility and superiority. Should the US be supportive or at least remain indifferent to the unilateral Turkish military move, it would reduce the US as the gendarmerie of Turkey in the region.
At such critical moments it is essential to ask what the Kurds should do. As a nation who has been subjected to oppression by the repressive nation-states, the Kurds have got nothing to lose apart from their freedom.
Determination and resistance of millions of Kurds in four parts of Kurdistan and abroad have got all the necessary means to turn the region into a chaos. It must not be forgotten that mighty military powers can easily crush inferior armies but they are destined to fail when they face determined people for their rights.
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