Though Turkey’s Defense Ministry has not given an overall itinerary for the offensive in Iraq they announced today that they considered the first stage to have been completed successfully.
This involved killing 56 Kurds, and taking “most of the area” under direct control. This raises concerns among Kurds that the Turkish strategy is a military occupation of the region.
Turkey said their intention was to keep the PKK from being able to cross the border into Turkey. They added today that eliminating the group outright is the “only goal,” and there were a lot of caves in the area they’ve taken to clear out.
Turkey has launched a number of offensives in this part of Iraq, and while distrust abounds among the Kurdish population, given Turkey’s hostility toward them, there is no sign Turkey intends anything but another round of attacks.
Probably so, with all that is going on in the Ukraine, our exhaustion with the ME the Turks figure it is a good time to grab some territory. We desire them on our side so are going to ignore this.
Let’s improve the wuality of analysis, WHO are the Kurds complaining! I bet not Barzani’s Peshmerga.
Ever since US got back into Iraq to save Sinjar from ISIS and some endangered people — a new approach was taken on Kurds. Syrian model where TURKISH PKK were recruited to organize YPG and the core of SDP. YPG. In Iraq, PKK has established a new political party under some democratic name, what else.
The idea was to attract younger, more impatient Kurds who lost faith in Peshmerga and independence. US took them under its wing — and sfter batle for Sinjar, US
allowed PKK Kurds into the city — and prohibited Peshmerga from getting in.
Since that time — Peshmerga actually collaborates with Erdogan. Iraqi government KNOWS very well what is going on. Turkey is keeping US sponsored Kurdish movement at bay, with full knowledge of Iraqi Pedhmerga and Iraqi government. Seriously, Iraq will tolerate foreign Turkish base — and complain only when something unpleasant happens,
Grooming our Kurds in Iraq to replace Barzani leadership that US could not control. Peshmerga did damage PKk by setting up a referendum on independence — giving Iraqi government rreason to take back PKK cintrolled Sinjar and Kirkuk, while Peshmerga did not lift a finger to help. Moreover, Peshmerga gave Iraqi givernment control of all airports and border checkpoints within Kurd controlled area. This wad to insure that Iraq sovereignity is complete over entire territory.
But US cintinuex buikding up PKK organized Kurds, and even a comprting political party, Money is a wonderf thing. Our taxpayers money.
In Syria, while YPG has bern defanged by both Turkish and Russian action following Trump’s withdrawal of Us troups from good chunk of Northeast Syria. Russia and Turkey. STILL patrol the border to prevent frree border crossing from PKK to Syria ss it was while US troups were there.
But SDF iis still under US protection. The same idea is hatching up in Iraq. Without. getting control of Kurds in Syria, Turkey and Iraq — region would lapse into peace, and that will never do.
But with the connivance between Turkey. Peshmerga Kurds in Iraq and Iraqi government, it may be hard to hatch a new Kurdish cause for US to rally around.
Even Russia is involved by monitorinng PKK activity aling Syria-Turkey border.