U.S. appoints envoy to counter Kurdish rebel threat

[Barrett808]

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States has appointed a former NATO commander as special envoy to help Turkey and Iraq fight Kurdish rebels along their border and in northern Iraq, the State Department said on Tuesday.

The appointment of retired Air Force Gen. Joseph Ralston, a former NATO Supreme Allied Commander in Europe, underscored U.S. commitment to working with Turkey and Iraq to end "terrorism in all its forms", said State Department spokesman Sean McCormack.

"General Ralston will have responsibility for coordinating U.S. engagement with the government of Turkey and the government of Iraq to eliminate the terrorist threat of the PKK and other terrorist groups operating in northern Iraq and across the Turkey-Iraq border," said McCormack in a statement.

Several thousand members of the Kurdistan Workers Party, or PKK, are believed to be hiding in the mountains of mainly Kurdish northern Iraq, from where they slip across the border to attack Turkish police, troops and other targets.

(more)

http://today.reuters.com/news/articlenews.aspx?type=politicsNews&storyID=2006-08-29T141130Z_01_N29423221_RTRUKOC_0_US-TURKEY-USA-ENVOY.xml&archived=False

[PATRICK]

1. Air Force?

This sudden interest in Turkish Kurdish relations might not have anything to do with air strikes on Iran launched from Turkey?

[acmavm]

2. I hate to say it but if the Kurds were foolish enough to believe

that there was any benefits to be had in being an 'ally' of the bush** administration in the fiasco in Iraq, I hope they know better now.

[geek tragedy]

3. The US has a long history of betraying the Kurds

Reagan and Poppy Bush aided and abetted Saddam's use of poison gas against them before the first Gulf War.

Poppy Bush encouraged them to rebel and then hung them out to dry after the first Gulf War.

Now this.

Never trust a Republican.

[ConcernedCanuk]

7. The US has a loooooong histroy of betraying EVERYONE!!

.
.
.

And that INCLUDES it's own citizens . . .

convince me I'm wrong . . .

[azurnoir]

4. The Kurds were valuable

as Saddam's victims, once there was no longer a Saddam then they quietly became a threat to Georges master plan for Iraq.

[Tempest]

5. Kurdistan - The Latest Bush Betrayal

http://www.theleftcoaster.com/archives/008505.php

[Kagemusha]

6. Really thought the Kurds would be allowed to defeat Turkey?

To end Turkey as a unified state?

[Supersedeas]

8. Nothing to see here...back to your REGULARLY scheduled celebrity news