Turkey considers response after deadly rebel ambush on soldiers

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Title: Turkey considers response after deadly rebel ambush on soldiers
Date: October 21st, 2007
Source: CBC.ca
Link: http://www.cbc.ca/world/story/2007/10/21/turkey-kurds.html



Article Summary:

Following a deadly ambush on Turkish soldiers by the Kurdish rebels, the Turkish government is considering a military strike against the rebel bases in northern Iraq. The Turkish artillery, in retaliation for the ambush, have shelled rebel positions, killing at least 12 rebel soldiers. Since the Iraq-based Kurdish rebels already have been threatening Turkey's border security, this incident would most likely pressure the Turkish government to attack the Kurd camps in Iraq. In fact, the Turkish parliament actually authorized the government to carry out cross-border raids against the rebels. The Iraqi President Jalal Talabani, obviously not wanting this crisis to threaten the long-lasted stability of the autonomous Kurdish region in northern Iraq, gave the rebels two choices: to lay down weapons or to get out of Iraq. Talabani noted that he will meet the Turkey's foreign minister to discuss a solution to this issue.


Byun's Opinion:

The Kurdish crisis today dates back to the beginning of the 20th century. Following the end of the First World War, the Western powers, notably Britain and France, divided the formal territories of the collapsed Ottoman Empire into many separate Arabic nations. As a result, many new countries, including Iraq, Syria, Jordan, and Lebanon, were created. Yet, the Western powers had completely forgotten about, or purposefully ignored, the Kurdish people, whose lands have been divided and annexed by Iraq, Iran, and Turkey. Ever since they lost their independence, the Kurds have rebelled to reclaim their lands. The Iraqis, then led by Saddam Hussein, crushed such movements by killing hundreds of Kurds, and made their lands in northern Iraq autonomous. As a result, the Kurds in Iraq have been relatively quiet and peaceful. Those in Turkey, however, were not; they resented the Turkish government's attempts to assimilate them.

In fact, the Kurdish rebels' ambush attack on a Turkish patrol that happened yesterday reflects this long-lasted territorial dispute. The Kurds continuously have been raiding the Turkish soldiers from their bases in northern Iraq. The Turkish government, wanting to put an end to the Kurdish independence movements, is currently considering an option of crossing the Turkey-Iraq border to raid the rebel bases in Iraq. For the Turks, this seems to be the only option to prevent further damages by the Kurds.

The Iraqis, on the other hand, do not want the Turkish military to cross the border. The autonomous Kurdish reigion in northern Iraq has been relatively peaceful, and the Iraqi government obviously does not want the Turks to disturb the stability in this region. The Iraqi president is asking the Turkish government not to cross the border, while urging the Kurdish rebels to lay down weapons or get out of Iraq. To me, the Iraqi government has made the best decision possible. I, in fact, cannot think of any "better" alternatives.

In overall, I offer the Kurdish people my dearest sympathy. To me, they are the poorest victims of this incident. Both the Turks and the Iraqis are forcing them to stand down. The two nations only care about their own national interests, and do not pay any attention to the "homeless" Kurds. I can see now how important it is for a race to have its own lands. Meanwhile, I ask the British and the French government to formally apologize for causing this tragedy.
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