Turkey/US Relations Going South, Fast
Can things get any worse between Erdogan's government in Turkey and the bellowing Bushista junta? Yes they can, a lot worse.
All summer long Turkey has threatened to carry out cross border strikes into Iraq to punish the PKK, or Kurdistan Workers Party, whose seperatist elements have battled Turkish armed forces for years. Pleading with the US to curb this Kurdish group has gone nowhere and after fifteen Turkish soldiers were killed since Sunday by the PKK. The situation is going critical.
Prime Minister Erdogan had been opposed to any invasion but is under immense pressure after the latest violence and finally gave the go ahead to pass legislation unleashing the army. Turkey has a large military force perched on the border with Iraq. Any invasion would cause tremendous headaches for the Bushistas, who consider the Kurds the most friendly faction in the country under the occupation. The US has even warned it's fellow NATO member to stay the hell out, but there's little that could be done if the invasion is a go.
Not to be outdone, Turkey has issued a warning back to the US that if that congress passes their Armenian Genocide Bill which recognizes the slaughter of Armenians by Ottoman Turks in the first world war:
"..that will be the moment when relations between Turkey and the United States collapse."
There's already intense hatred of US policy in Turkey. From the insanity of the Iraqi invasion and subsequent carnage to the failure to clamp down on the PKK and their terrorist attacks and the anti muslim sentiments in america there's a strong undercurrent to sever ties with the Bushista regime. If congress passes that bill, and it looks like there are enough votes to do that despite frantic pleas by the administration, Turkey could severely undermine US control of the area. Not only will a new war break out in Iraq with a Turkish invasion, activity at the absolutely critical air base at Incirlik in Turkey would be disrupted. Over 3,000 convoy truck missions are taken off the increasingly dangerous Iraqi roads every month because of resupply from Incirlik. Almost two thirds of all air cargo bound for Iraq passes through the place.
Ever since Turkey denied the use of it's soil to stage the invasion in 2003, relations between the two countries have deteriorated, while those between Turkey and it's neighbors have very much improved, much to the warmongers' disgust:
Relations between Turkey and Syria reach highest level possible: Babacan
"DAMASCUS (TurkishPress) -- “Turkey and Syria have deep historical ties. The relations between Turkey and Syria have reached highest level possible in the recent past...”
TURKEY DETERMINED TO PRESS AHEAD WITH IRANIAN GAS DEAL
"The Turkish Energy Ministry has repeated Turkey’s determination to press ahead with a new natural gas agreement with Iran, despite objections from the United States."
Turkey, Iran planning rail link
"Turkey and the Islamic Republic of Iran have agreed to construct a railway to boost trade ties between the two neighboring states."
It only makes sense that Turkey would bond closer with it's fellow muslim neighbors. They have a long history of relations with them and a relatively short history of relations to a power that is increasingly seen as an intruding bully that is antithetical to their self interest. That mysterious bombing run by Israeli jets over Syria and through Turkish air space didn't do wonders for amity in the region either. Speaking of Israel, that congressional bill may even be a wedge that the ziofascists are deliberately using to drive america and muslim Turkey apart:
"The widespread perception in Turkey is that US Jewish organizations have linked up with Armenian groups to "defame" and "condemn" Turkey, visiting Turkish Foreign Minister Ali Babacan told The Jerusalem Post Monday.
He warned that if a measure characterizing the killing of Armenians as an act of genocide was approved by Congress in the coming days, it would not only harm Turkey's ties with the US, but also Ankara's ties with Jerusalem."
That's another, very interesting story.
The Foreign Affairs Committee will approve the bill tomorrow and it will be sent to the full house. Expect some real fireworks.
All summer long Turkey has threatened to carry out cross border strikes into Iraq to punish the PKK, or Kurdistan Workers Party, whose seperatist elements have battled Turkish armed forces for years. Pleading with the US to curb this Kurdish group has gone nowhere and after fifteen Turkish soldiers were killed since Sunday by the PKK. The situation is going critical.
Prime Minister Erdogan had been opposed to any invasion but is under immense pressure after the latest violence and finally gave the go ahead to pass legislation unleashing the army. Turkey has a large military force perched on the border with Iraq. Any invasion would cause tremendous headaches for the Bushistas, who consider the Kurds the most friendly faction in the country under the occupation. The US has even warned it's fellow NATO member to stay the hell out, but there's little that could be done if the invasion is a go.
Not to be outdone, Turkey has issued a warning back to the US that if that congress passes their Armenian Genocide Bill which recognizes the slaughter of Armenians by Ottoman Turks in the first world war:
"..that will be the moment when relations between Turkey and the United States collapse."
There's already intense hatred of US policy in Turkey. From the insanity of the Iraqi invasion and subsequent carnage to the failure to clamp down on the PKK and their terrorist attacks and the anti muslim sentiments in america there's a strong undercurrent to sever ties with the Bushista regime. If congress passes that bill, and it looks like there are enough votes to do that despite frantic pleas by the administration, Turkey could severely undermine US control of the area. Not only will a new war break out in Iraq with a Turkish invasion, activity at the absolutely critical air base at Incirlik in Turkey would be disrupted. Over 3,000 convoy truck missions are taken off the increasingly dangerous Iraqi roads every month because of resupply from Incirlik. Almost two thirds of all air cargo bound for Iraq passes through the place.
Ever since Turkey denied the use of it's soil to stage the invasion in 2003, relations between the two countries have deteriorated, while those between Turkey and it's neighbors have very much improved, much to the warmongers' disgust:
Relations between Turkey and Syria reach highest level possible: Babacan
"DAMASCUS (TurkishPress) -- “Turkey and Syria have deep historical ties. The relations between Turkey and Syria have reached highest level possible in the recent past...”
TURKEY DETERMINED TO PRESS AHEAD WITH IRANIAN GAS DEAL
"The Turkish Energy Ministry has repeated Turkey’s determination to press ahead with a new natural gas agreement with Iran, despite objections from the United States."
Turkey, Iran planning rail link
"Turkey and the Islamic Republic of Iran have agreed to construct a railway to boost trade ties between the two neighboring states."
It only makes sense that Turkey would bond closer with it's fellow muslim neighbors. They have a long history of relations with them and a relatively short history of relations to a power that is increasingly seen as an intruding bully that is antithetical to their self interest. That mysterious bombing run by Israeli jets over Syria and through Turkish air space didn't do wonders for amity in the region either. Speaking of Israel, that congressional bill may even be a wedge that the ziofascists are deliberately using to drive america and muslim Turkey apart:
"The widespread perception in Turkey is that US Jewish organizations have linked up with Armenian groups to "defame" and "condemn" Turkey, visiting Turkish Foreign Minister Ali Babacan told The Jerusalem Post Monday.
He warned that if a measure characterizing the killing of Armenians as an act of genocide was approved by Congress in the coming days, it would not only harm Turkey's ties with the US, but also Ankara's ties with Jerusalem."
That's another, very interesting story.
The Foreign Affairs Committee will approve the bill tomorrow and it will be sent to the full house. Expect some real fireworks.
posted by nolocontendere at 9:17 PM
2 Comments:
Every time you think it's as bad as it can get, it gets worse than you could have imagined.
So if the Turks come in, what happens to our troops in Iraq?
From what I see, the US problem with a Turkish invasion into northern Iraq is one of logistics and influence but really won't impact US troops much. It will create a gigantic humanitarian disaster as the Kurds flee en masse like after the first Gulf Slaughter. With the onset of winter and the cholera epidemic it's not going to be pretty. It would also show just how weak and impotent the US really is, unable to keep Iraqi borders inviolable. Also it would be the final break between the US and Turkey and the Bushistas really NEED Turkey and the Incirlik base. Yet the Kurds have huge amounts of oil. The US is absolutely screwed if this happens.
Post a Comment
<< Home