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2004-05-19 Iraq-Jordan
Turkey prepares for the potential partition of Iraq and Kurdish self-rule
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Posted by Zhang Fei 2004-05-19 9:41:15 PM|| || Front Page|| [4 views since 2007-05-07]  Top

#1 This is one of the more hopeful things that I have read recently. Murat notwithstanding, most Turks I have known have been very practical people. This makes sense and in the long run would be very profitable for Turkey, particularly if they can influence the idea of Greater Kurdistan to focus on Syria and Iran for the next few years. This is a real possibility if we decide to set the Kurds free from the anchor that is Arab Iraq.
Posted by RWV 2004-05-19 11:10:50 PM||   2004-05-19 11:10:50 PM|| Front Page Top

#2 If Turkey can see the practical benefits of working with the Kurds, they could be strengthened. It would work well both ways. The Kurds made something of themselves while being under the no-fly zone umbrella for years. The Shiites in Iraq are going to do nothing but stab everyone but themselves in the back (maybe themselves, too!) while they build their scalp cutting heaven on earth, so they will amount to nothing. If the US can do ops in the western desert against Syria and Saudi, with Kurds to the north, we will have still atchieved some strategic goals.
Posted by Alaska Paul 2004-05-19 11:12:59 PM||   2004-05-19 11:12:59 PM|| Front Page Top

#3 Looks to me like the Turks and the Kurds are being smart. Guess it proves the crazyness across the ME isn't caused by something in the water.
Posted by Phil B  2004-05-19 11:13:16 PM||   2004-05-19 11:13:16 PM|| Front Page Top

#4 I have long supported an autonomous Kurdistan, with ties to liberal-Muslim Turkey, and commitments to protect Turkemen, Assyrian and Christian minorities.

However, George Walker Bush is owned by Saudi Arabia, which does not want a Turkish hand in the deep oil wells of Kurdish Iraq. A hardline anti-Wahabi/anti-Khomenei Congress could force the Texas idiot's hand. But they won't as long as mental slaves attribute public purpose to the Texas crook.

As soon as it sinks into your filtered minds, that GWB spent $150,000,000,000 on a bill of goods, you will see why that crook has to get out of the way. Only Congress can save America from that man's stupidity.

Critics: tell us exactly what are GWB's working objectives in Iraq? If you can't put up, then shut up. The I-want-to-be-part-of-something-big-even-as-a-kiss-ass mentality has to go. The indulgence of GWB's apology for legitimate interrogation techniques should have collapsed his support.
Posted by Dog Bites Trolls 2004-05-19 11:21:37 PM||   2004-05-19 11:21:37 PM|| Front Page Top

#5 DBT, it's too late at night for such silliness. Take two aspirin, drink a beer, and try again in the morning when you're thinking more clearly. Right now you just sound like MBD dba DBT.
Posted by RWV 2004-05-19 11:30:52 PM||   2004-05-19 11:30:52 PM|| Front Page Top

#6 RWV - Where in the hell did you get the idea that Not Bright Troll could think clearly, no matter what time of day it is?
Posted by Barbara Skolaut  2004-05-19 11:49:17 PM||   2004-05-19 11:49:17 PM|| Front Page Top

#7 DBT has got it wrong. Its the BJP thats anti-Wahabi/anti-Khomenei. Congress is old-fashioned socialists.
Posted by Phil B  2004-05-19 11:55:19 PM||   2004-05-19 11:55:19 PM|| Front Page Top

#8 Super news! I think a separate Kurdistan would be a win-win-win for the Kurds, the US, and Turkey.

Bremer's dream of a unified democratic Iraq is totally impractical-too many years of tribal/religious bad blood between the Sunnis, Shiites, and Kurds.

As others have remarked, the Sunnis and Shiites will be living the same regressive violent hellish lives 100 years from now as they are today and as they did 100 years ago. Whereas the Kurds, who were left with the clothes on their backs because of Saddam's genocidal evil ways, still managed to make the best use of what they had left and ended up developing a nice little civilized country the past 15 years in the "no-fly" zone. The Kurds are our best hope for a pro-West gov't in Iraq.

And what's perfect poetic justice... with a separate Kurdistan the best undeveloped oil AND gas resouces in Iraq are in located in KURDISTAN so that leaves the Sunnis and Shiites with the rump of Iraq. yuk, yuk

A year before the Iraq invasion, Saddam had signed contracts with Totalfinaelf and a Russian oil firm to drill for oil in the Kurdish area, but so sad, too bad, Saddam got deposed so I guess the contracts, they are meaningless now.

So many possibilities with a separate Kurdistan, for them and for us geopolitically and economically. I'm sure the Kurds would love for us to build a mega big military base there to protect them [and Turkey] from the barbaric hordes in Shiite and Sunni Iraq.

And best of all, we could pull our GI's out of the killing fields in Sunni/Shiite Iraq and have them positioned with ACTUAL MUSLIM ALLIES WHO APPRECIATE our military, how's that for a change?

And if Sunni and Shiite Iraq fall under the influence of Al Queda or other Bad Boys, alas, on the bright side, it would make for a nice straight forward target for our missile launchers based in Kurdistan. And last but not least it would be good if we would show some appreciation to the Kurds for their consistent support instead of taking their loyalty for granted and bending over backwards trying to accomodate the ungrateful Sunnis and Shiites.

And if we helped the Kurds develop their oil and gas resources...I guess we wouldn't need to depend on Saudi Arabia so much - another group of back stabbing Muslims I'd like the US to back away from.

I sure hope the WH finally wakes up and smells the roses in Kurdistan. It's time to move away from the smelly camel dung in Sunni/Shiite Iraq.

Posted by rex 2004-05-20 2:01:30 AM||   2004-05-20 2:01:30 AM|| Front Page Top

#9 do it Georgie, do it.
Posted by B 2004-05-20 7:28:32 AM||   2004-05-20 7:28:32 AM|| Front Page Top

11:13 EndALLCONS
03:02 Anonymous4979
08:09 B
07:28 B
04:02 Super Hose
03:59 Super Hose
02:01 rex
01:16 Tresho
01:03 Tresho
00:47 ed
23:55 Phil B
23:49 Barbara Skolaut
23:35 RWV
23:30 RWV
23:29 Zenster
23:23 A Jackson
23:21 Dog Bites Trolls
23:19 RWV
23:18 Frank G
23:15 Anonymoose
23:15 Barbara Skolaut
23:13 RWV
23:13 Phil B
23:12 Alaska Paul









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