Meanwhile, the tensions are rising in Turkey

[theHandpuppet]

Let's not forget that there's another mess a-brewin' now between the Turks and the Kurds of northern Iraq. The mess we've made in the ME has but put a flame to that powderkeg as well. Aren't you so proud of our Chimp-in-Chief, "Mr. Uniter" and his swell team of diplomats and foreign policy advisors?

There hasn't been much reporting on this, but here are some views from Turkish news sources:

http://www.turkishdailynews.com.tr/article.php?enewsid=49681

US gives stronger assurances to calm ally's PKK concerns

Monday, July 24, 2006

Washington steps up assurances that Ankara’s concerns over the PKK in Iraq will be addressed, while Iraqi President Jalal Talabani says Iraqi territory should not be used to launch attacks against Turkey

WASHINGTON /ANKARA – Turkish Daily News

The United States has responded to Turkey's mounting complaints with stepped up assurances to Ankara that Turkey's grievances over the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) in Iraq would be addressed.

For the second time in three days, President George W. Bush spoke to Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdo?an, saying that the United States would work with Turkey to deal with the terrorist threat posed by the PKK.

A statement from the Prime Ministry's press center quoted Bush as telling Erdo?an that the United States understood the ?urgency and seriousness? of the matter. Bush also said he had given the necessary instructions to relevant authorities and that the Iraqi administration had also been given a strong message that the United States would work together with Turkey in the fight against terrorism.... MORE

http://www.turkishpress.com/news.asp?id=134726

Middle East Crisis To Affect Turkey

Published: 7/24/2006

BY SEMIH IDIZ
MILLIYET- It's become clear that Israel is attacking Lebanon in coordination with the US. Washington, which supports these operations, rejected calls for a cease-fire and said that it wants a 'comprehensive' solution covering the Iran and Syria issues as well. In short, the Bush administration believes it can seize the opportunity to bring the order it wants to the Middle East. During Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice’s contacts in the region starting today, she will be considered not as a mediator, but as an enemy by the masses in the Middle East. Now we can clearly see that Washington’s claim to bring democracy and human rights to the region was a futile tactic. It gave a green light to the destruction of Lebanon, which was the so-called apple of its eye after the assassination of Lebanon's ex-Prime Minister Rafik Hariri. Neo-Huntingtonian thoughts are rapidly spreading in the West, and with it suggestions that the Islamic world lacks the necessary social and cultural structure for democracy and human rights and that Turkey shows that a Muslim society can only go so far on these issues. In short, the West is considering Israel’s attacks with a certain understanding. Here there is a perception which started with the Sept. 11 attacks, strengthened by bomb attacks in Madrid and London and reaching a climax with the Muhammed cartoon crisis.... MORE

http://www.turkishpress.com/news.asp?id=134439

The US wouldn't allow it, but...

Published: 7/21/2006

BY M. ALI KISLALI
RADIKAL- The basic rule of the 22-year fight against the terrorist PKK is to cut its cross-border support. Not only military field manuals, but also books written by experts say this and certain policies show this as well. Based on this, the Turkish General Staff says that the PKK headquarters in northern Iraq must be removed. Our ally, the US, is hindering this aim of Turkey’s. The US ambassador to Ankara says at every opportunity that we can’t carry out an operation alone. The US is right to some extent. Iraq is in a complete quagmire and it’s sinking deeper everyday. It can only trust the Kurds, who don’t want Turkey to carry out a military operation against northern Iraq and who say this openly at every opportunity. They also don’t do anything in order to hinder the PKK’s activities. They even don’t say anything about the PKK representative in Baghdad. In this case, what can Turkey do? Can it make an initiative which can be considered a conflict with Washington? Will it only do certain maneuvers which can be seen as bluff? Will it move units to the Iraqi border? Will it propose a partnership with Kurdish leader Massoud Barzani and Iraqi President Jalal Talabani? Or would it declare a general amnesty for the PKK elements on Mt. Kandil? In addition, would it allow the establishment of a Kurdish political party as proposed by a high-ranking diplomat who was sent by the US to the region in the past?

MORE

[peacetalksforall]

1. Now it the time to start documenting every excuse, defense, and case

PNAC makes for itself while trying to explain their righteousness or their apology.

Does someone have the time?

All their defensive statements, excuses, and we-didn't-knows stated by them and pundits.

It should make a swell book. Perhaps it can be entered in to the Congressional Record by one of our astute Congresspersons.

[cliss]

2. The U.S. = deeper & deeper

in messes around the world. As the summer wears on, incendiary events threaten to blow sky-high. The US is involved in so many of these crises, and the leadership is showing its complete inability to take care of these messes.

It's amazing it's not worse....