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Turkish Aggression Plans in Iraqi
Kurdistan and the Aegean
7.10.2006
By Gene Rossides |
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The August 2006 issue of
Defense & Foreign Affairs Strategic Policy and the
Journal of the International Strategic Studies
Association, details Turkey’s “…aggression plans for
operations in Iraqi Kurdistan, and in the Aegean.”
The distinguished editor-in-chief of the journal is
Gregory R. Copley, who has participated in several
American Hellenic Institute conferences. Mr. Copley
is also the editor of the 16th edition of Defense &
Foreign Affairs Handbook, which is more
comprehensive than the CIA’s World Factbook. It has
2,343 pages and sells for $397.00. It is an
indispensable source for foreign affairs and defense
specialists in the 246 countries it covers.
The article on Turkey in the August 2006 issue is a
Staff Report, which means it has been reviewed and
edited by several key persons at the journal. It
strongly reinforces the view of the American
Hellenic Institute expressed in the 2006 Greek
American Policy Statements that a fundamental
re-examination of U.S.-Turkey policy is needed and
is in the interests of the U.S. The 2006 Policy
Statements have been endorsed by AHEPA, The Hellenic
American National Council, and the other leading
membership organizations.
The article points out that “The Turkish Army and
the Turkish Jandarma (paramilitary police) have some
260,000 to 265,000 forces already stationed in
southeastern Turkey, ready to move in strength into
Kurdistan if necessary.”
The article states that Turkey’s armed forces are
concerned that Iran might try
”… to move quickly through Iranian Kurdistan to
control the oilfields of Iraqi Kurdistan.” The
article adds that “Turkish Special Forces units are
working within the area arming and supporting
Turcomen Iraqis in preparation for what they believe
could be imminent Iranian attempts to destabilize
and control the region.”
Since March of 2006, the Turkish Army has conducted
53 operations into Iraqi Kurdistan, ostensibly
against bases and assets of the Kurdish Worker’s
Party (PKK). But, in reality, much of the activity
has also been used to build a network of
capabilities based on the Turcomen of the region.
Significantly, one of the Turkish operations against
the PKK was conducted with Iranian forces, and the
Iranians have themselves conducted eight operations
against the PKK since March 2006.
The article then details actions by PKK forces and
Turkish forces, including the use of chemical
weapons by Turkish forces as follows:
“The PKK responded with 69 operations against
Turkish targets, and during the ongoing operations
from March 2006 until the end of July 2006, the
Turkish forces suffered 165 casualties, including
144 soldiers, seven junior Army officers, and a
lieutenant-colonel. As well, 36 Iranian troops were
killed during the period, and 43 PKK combatants were
known casualties.”
It was reported by highly-reliable first-hand
sources that Turkish forces, using chemical weapons,
killed 14 Kurds on March 25, 2006. Documentary
evidence has been seen by Defense & Foreign Affairs
on issues relating to Turkish infrastructure of
chemical and biological weapons, as well as a 1986
written order by a Turkish general authorizing use
of chemical weapons against Kurds.
The article points out that a command center for the
invasion of Iraqi Kurdistan was built in the
mountain area of Gabar in the Simak region in the
past several months. The Commander of the Turkish
Forces, General Yasar Buyukanit, was in charge until
July 31, 2006 when he was named Chief of the General
Staff of the Turkish Armed Forces.
The article characterizes Gen. Buyukanit “… as a
tough commander and a committed anti-Kurd (who is)
known to be unimpressed by plans spearheaded largely
by the Turkish commercial sector and some
politicians for Turkey to enter the European Union (EU).”
It was felt that he would be more ameneable than
General Ozkok had been to ending the EU negotiating
process by taking decisive action to achieve Turkish
strategic objectives in its immediate neighborhood,
particularly in Iraqi Kurdish areas and in the
Aegean Sea.
It should be noted that former U.S. Ambassador to
the UN, Richard Holbrooke, during an appearance on
the Charlie Rose TV program on August 14, 2006,
sounded the alarm regarding Turkish plans to invade
Iraqi Kurdistan and called for the deployment of
U.S. troops in Iraqi Kurdistan between the 260,000
Turkish troops on the Turkey-Iraqi border and the
Iraqi Kurd forces.
Ominously, the article states: “There is some
suggestion that the whole period of conflict in the
region, not just the ongoing war in Iraq and the
Turkish invasion of Iraqi Kurdistan, but also the
Iranian-sponsored conflict against Israel, would
provide extensive cover and rationale for Turkey to
widen its military operations to consolidate its
position in Cyprus and certainly to attempt to
create a de facto end to Greek control of much of
the Aegean Sea.”
The article concludes: “The Turkish General Staff
appears to believe that the end game, with regard to
the EU negotiating process, is at hand, and with it
an end to the need for constraint on the question of
territorial claims in the Aegean and with regards to
Cyprus.”
What should the U.S. do now to forestall possible
action by Turkey in Iraq and elsewere? The events of
the last few month should be a wake-up call for the
U.S. government and the Greek-American community
that aggression by Turkey in northern Iraq and in
the Aegean Sea and further aggression in Cyprus is
possible.
The U.S. should promptly take the following
actions:
1. Inform Turkey that any invasion of Kurdistan
(northern Iraq) is unacceptable and would be
resisted by the U.S.;
2. Follow Holbrook’s suggestion and put U.S. troops
in Kurdistan (northern Iraq) between the Turkish
forces on the Turkish-Iraq border and Iraq Kurd
forces. Actions speak louder than words in dealing
with Turkey.
3. Openly state that the maritime boundary in the
Aegean Sea between Greece and Turkey has long been
settled by treaties; the Lausanne Treaty of 1923;
the Italy-Turkey Convention of January 4, 1932; the
Italy-Turkey Protocol of December 28, 1932 and; the
1947 Paris Peace Treaty. Moreover, the U.S. is a
signatory of the 1947 Paris Peace Treaty and is
obligated by U.S. law to carry out its provisions.
The State Department has refused to declare publicly
what the law is and should do so now.
4. Openly inform Turkey to immediately remove its
40,000 armed forces and
equipment from Cyprus. Such a statement would put
the public spotlight on those troops and help
prevent any aggressive action by the Turkish general
staff.
5. Openly call for the prompt return to Turkey of
the 120,000 illegal Turkish
colonists/settlers from Anatolia, illegally in
Cyprus in violation of the Geneva
Convention of 1949.
6. Openly call for the tearing down of Turkey’s
barbed wire fence across the face of Cyprus. The
several openings in the fence have led to 10 million
crossings in over 2 years without serious incident
and have demonstrated that Greek and Turkish
Cypriots can live and work together peacefully as
they have done in the past before the Turkish
government instituted a program of apartheid.
7. State openly that the so-called isolation of the
Turkish Cypriots is caused by the Turkish government
by having 40,000 armed troops in Cyprus illegally
occupying 37.3% of Cyprus, and the Turkish barbed
wire fence. By removing the Turkish troops and the
barbed wire fence, the alleged isolation of the
Turkish Cypriots would vanish.
8. Oppose any Turkish troops as part of an
international security force between Lebanon and
Israel as provocative and harmful to efforts to
bring peace between Lebanon and Israel.
Call and write to President George W. Bush,
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, your two
Federal Senators, and your U.S. Representatives and
urge them to take the above action in the interests
of the U.S.
Gene Rossides is President of the American
Hellenic Institute and former Assistant Secretary of
the Treasury.
hellenicnews.com
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