Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

To: Cold Heat

I think their concern is more over what the Turkish Kurds will do. Militant Kurdish groups lay claim to about a quarter of all of Turkey's lands, which they call "Northern Kurdistan." Basically, they want to annex this huge part of Turkish terrritory into a greater Kurdistan nation.

If Turkey could be sure that an autonomous Iraqi Kurdish state wouldn't encourage Turkish Kurds to start revolting and starting a civil war in Turkey - so they could create a greater Kurdistan nation combined with Iraqi Kurdistan - then they'd be much less concerned over what Iraqi Kurds do. Unfortunately, whether their fears are fully warranted or not, there's huge concern in Turkey that the Turkish Kurds wouldn't be content with having their own mini-nation in Iraq to move to, and that they'd start a civil war to take over Turkish land to incorporate into a much larger Kurdish nation.

In addition, Turkey has dealt with Kurdish terrorists (PKK and other groups) who've been bombimg and killing Turkish and foreign civilians for nearly 30 years, and unfortunately, these terrorist attacks have been getting worse over the past year, which doesn't help to allay their fears.


37 posted on 01/17/2007 8:05:59 PM PST by L.M.H.
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 36 | View Replies ]


To: L.M.H.
Thanks...I see the situation much more clear.

IMO, it is likely that some accommodation will have to be made eventually, but I would think that this largely depends on how successful the Iraq Kurdish zone is, and how they react to the growing new government. Also, how Turkish Kurds react to the situations as they develop. One can only hope it is done peacefully and the region can remain Turkish and not under the gun..

On another note, they appear to be a very interesting people. It is unfortunate that have experienced oppression in the past and retaliation has left a lot of bad blood. The current situation exists and is dicey, but this is the problem with the tribal nature of the entire Middle East and will be a problem long into the future. Way too much historical memory. Way too many mistakes made.

My own predecessors came from the Baltic's where they too were oppressed religiously and in many other ways. They came to the U.S. in 1923 or so, Thanks again!

38 posted on 01/17/2007 8:22:00 PM PST by Cold Heat
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 37 | View Replies ]

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article


FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson