Turks, Kurds and the US: "Let the US Try and Stop Us"

[image:Getty]
UPDATED:
"Let the U.S. Try and Stop Us"
"Transform[ing] the Kurdish Dream into a Turkish Nightmare"
by Mondoreb

Another world problem promises to get thornier in a hurry. The Turks are tired of their soldiers being picked off as the U.S. works to head off an escalation on the Turkey-Iraq border. As more Turkish soldiers head to the border area, politicians on both sides seek a solution.

The troubles from the Kurdistan area that encompasses Iraq, Turkey and parts of several other countries are updated. From CNN:

Turkish Foreign Minister Ali Babacan rejected reports of an apparent cease-fire offer from Kurdish separatists Tuesday after arriving in Baghdad for talks with Iraqi leaders aimed at defusing tensions along the countries' shared border.

Babacan was responding to Iraqi claims that the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), which Turkey accuses of launching attacks on its territory from bases in Iraq, was ready to declare a unilateral truce.

But he said cease-fires were only possible between "states and regular forces," The Associated Press reported. "The problem here is that we're dealing with a terrorist organization."

Babacan's visit comes after U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and British Foreign Secretary David Miliband jointly urged Iraq to take "immediate steps" to prevent Kurdish separatists from carrying out attacks against Turkey.

There's obviously no easy answers here. The Turks want the incursions from the PKK to stop. This is entirely reasonable. If Canadian terrorists were coming across the US border and murdering civilians and soldiers, the outcry would be deafening. With the al-Qaeda problems abating in Iraq, the U.S. doesn't need another security worry. The Kurdish north of Iraq has been relatively quiet, but the PKK can't leave the Turks alone.

One hopes that a solution can be reached before more blood is shed, but it doesn't look very promising at this point.

Not helpful are voices like this:

"What if American F-16s come in front of us to block us? Let them try, that's their business. … Our targets will be on Barzani's military and economic targets. Our goal will be to transform the 'Kurdish dream' into a 'Turkish nightmare.'"

To say 'passions run deep on both sides' is an understatement. Strong passions on both sides are what war is all about.

UPDATE:

You just knew how the New York Times, ever the optimist, would handle this news. 1-It was Bush's fault; 2-The news out of Iraq is terrible; and, 3-It was Bush's fault. All that in the lead paragraph and then a bit of concern over what it might all mean.

The news out of Iraq just keeps getting worse. Now Turkey is threatening to send troops across the border to wipe out Kurdish rebel bases, after guerrillas killed at least a dozen Turkish soldiers. This latest crisis should have come as no surprise. But it is one more widely predicted problem the Bush administration failed to plan for before its misguided invasion — and one more problem it urgently needs to deal with as part of a swift and orderly exit from Iraq.

On the subject of Iraq, the Times would spin the sudden discovery of an Iraqi Fountain of Youth into an insidious Bush plot to rid the world of old people.



Back to Front Page.

Pelosi on Turkey: "Never A Good Time" Dem-Controlled House Plans Will Further Isolate the US in Middle East

What would Ataturk, father of modern Turkey do?
[photo:ataturktoday]
by Mondoreb

Pressing forward to a resolution that makes life difficult for American and Turkish diplomats, Nancy Pelosi(D-CA) stated she was ready to move the House toward a vote on Armenian genocide. The issue is a sensitive one in Turkey which wasn't even a state when the Armenian actions occurred. The House action was, as Red State put it so succinctly, "the strange resolution, out-of-the-blue, on the Young Turks killing the Armenians, 1915-1917."

The resolution, which accomplishes nothing outside of straining US-Turkish relations, labels the death of more than a million Armenians during the first World War as genocide. This from the party which has unceasingly complained that President Bush has isolated the U.S. from its allies. From CNN:

"This resolution is one that is consistent with what our government has always said about ... what happened at that time," Pelosi said on ABC's "This Week."

When asked about criticism that it could harm relations with Turkey -- a key ally in the war in Iraq and a fellow member of NATO -- Pelosi said, "There's never been a good time," adding that it is important to pass the resolution now "because many of the survivors are very old."

"When I came to Congress 20 years ago, it wasn't the right time because of the Soviet Union. Then that fell, and then it wasn't the right time because of the Gulf War One. And then it wasn't the right time because of overflights of Iraq. And now it's not the right time because of Gulf War Two.

The resolution has strained U.S. relations with Turkey and drawn criticism from the Bush administration.

A key ally is angered for no reason other than political pandering. The anti-war Left and Democrats would make defending vital U.S. interests in the Persian Gulf much more difficult with passage of the resolution.
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell(R-KY)reacted to House grand-standing.

Speaking later on ABC's "This Week," McConnell denounced the House committee's vote -- despite agreeing with the assertion that the killings amounted to genocide.

"I think it's a really bad idea for the Congress to be condemning what happened 100 years ago," the Kentucky Republican said Sunday. "We all know it happened. There's a genocide museum, actually, in Armenia to commemorate what happened.

"But I don't think the Congress passing this resolution is a good idea at any point. But particularly not a good idea when Turkey is cooperating with us in many ways, which ensures greater safety for our soldiers."

[AP photo]The timing of the resolution could be seen as throwing a bone of the anti-war portion of the Democrat Party. Many of the anti-war Left are upset with Democrats for not doing more to end the Iraq conflict. The Democrats, nervous about how such action will be perceived not only nationally, but by history, is taking a cavalier route to appeasing them.

As Jed Babbin puts it:

The Democrat leadership could write and pass legislation insisting the UN intervene to save the living instead of using the memory of the dead to score political points. In neither case should we intervene militarily. But the lack of concern for ongoing mass murder proves the Democrats’ only purpose is to enrage the Turkish government and end their cooperation on Iraq.

Rep. Jeb Hensarling (R-Tex.) told me, “We are a nation at war, and our first concern must always be the brave men and women of our armed forces, who I believe are done a great disservice by this symbolic House vote. This is just one more example of Democrats in the House being either oblivious or indifferent to the welfare of American forces serving in harm’s way.”

What Pelosi has said is inane. As far as "many of the survivors being old": they'd have to be. The youngest of any survivors would be near 90-years-old. The incidents occurred when the Ottoman Empire ruled the area, before a secular modern Turkey came into being in 1922-3.

No one is arguing that Armenians didn't die; they did, as well as Turks, too. The animosity in that region goes back centuries. What's at dispute is what good is accomplished with the House resolution, its timing and the political calculus of the Democrats in promoting it at this juncture.

If the resolution passes,the House Democrats will be offering US vital interests something other than some "Turkish Delight".



Back to Front Page.

Move the United Nations HQ From NYC?

[graphic: RidesAPaleHorse]
The United Nations Caravan to Nowhere

by Mondoreb

Recent actions by the United State have led to criticism in the halls of the United Nations. What actions? Pick an action, any action and you'll have your answer.

It's not reached Israeli proportions yet, where the mere existence of your country is cause for condemnation. But it's been loud. Since this is a phenomenon that has been increasingly going on for the almost 30 years, it might not be noticed. We decided to take a look at it and possible reasons.

The Arab World condemnation.
The U.S. supports Israel's right to exist. Enough said.

The Democrat/DailyKOS/Iranian/Marxist condemnation.
Since American foreign policy differs from the aforementioned quartet, they're going to squawk: sometimes in unison. Sometimes you can't tell who's doing the squawking. Syria? TheDailyKOS?Better have a scorecard handy.

The EuroWeenies. Don't share the Europeans' opinion? Again, Americans are going to hear about it. Instead of howling, a condescending sneer is the preferred reply. Americans don't have socialized health care, execute criminals and own guns: what barbarians! A favorite slur is to label Americans "cowboys". When EuroMidgets utter this, they turn and smile, thinking they've scored a great point. This makes some Americans head to TVLand to watch Gunsmoke re-runs.

So, next time you hear the screams of indignation and indigestion coming from the U.N. just remember the point RAPH makes in his graphic at the top of this story. If you suggested moving UN Headquarters out of NYC, then you'd really hear some bitching.



Like this story?VOTE FOR IT! FP: A Conservative News Source.
Like this story? VOTE FOR IT!
Back to Front Page

Carter Legacy: Like a Ghoul from a GraveBrzezinski Says:JUST LIKE JESUS, IRAN IS JUST ALL RIGHT WITH ME

by Mondoreb

Another Carter-era pronouncement?
What was it about the time period 1976-1980 that trapped Carter and his minions in a glaze of mental paralysis? Everywhere one looks these days, you see these guys spouting off about US foreign affairs. It was bad enough they got almost EVERYTHING wrong when they were in charge. Now, through their trusty MSM poodles. they'll try to influence events from afar.

Today's guest on Another Jimmy Carter Has-Been Speaks is Zbigniew Brzezinski. From CNN:

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Former national security adviser Zbigniew Brzezinski likened U.S. officials' saber rattling about Iran's alleged nuclear ambitions to similar statements made before the start of the Iraq war.
"I think the administration, the president and the vice president particularly, are trying to hype the atmosphere, and that is reminiscent of what preceded the war in Iraq," Brzezinski told CNN's "Late Edition" on Sunday.

First, it was Carter himself, whistling anti-Semitically while he worked at creating a Palestinian homeland free to live, love and blow up Israelis. Now, Brezinski is here to assure all that Iran is nothing more than James Dean in Rebel Without a Cause--only with a looming nuclear capability.
Thank goodness for adults.

But Henry Kissinger, the former national security adviser and secretary of state under President Nixon, appeared not to doubt Iran's alleged ambitions.

"I believe they are building a capability to build a nuclear bomb," Kissinger told CNN. "I don't think they're yet in a position to build a nuclear bomb, but they may be two or three years away from it."

Brzezinski would know all about national security. Under Carter, US national security was never lower. The Soviets advanced worldwide, Afghanistan became a Soviet province and Iran threatened, captured and humiliated Americans daily for the world to see.

Jimmy and Zbigniew's tough-minded solution: Like a petulant schoolgirl, Jimmy refused to leave the Rose Garden til Iran released the hostages. Surprised that that approach failed, he then sent helicopters to crash in the desert. That one mission typified Carter's approach to threats to U.S. interests: too little, too late, accompanied by much hand-wringing and self-serving sanctimonious platitudes.

Like a ghoul from the grave, Carter and his henchmen won't leave US vital interests alone. The only Carter Gang member I ever get nostalgic for is Billy Carter, with his ever-present can of beer. Sadly, he passed away in 1988.
Pity the whole Carter worldview's still here.

Back to Front Page
Up-to-date News & Discussion at Memeorandum

DBKP.com - Bigger, Better!.
Death by 1000 Papercuts Front Page.

WHAT EVIL LURKS?"I WAS DICK CHENEY'S BRAIN!"Foreign Policy 'Expert' Goes In And Comes Out Alive to Tell About It!

by Mondoreb & Little Baby Ginn

Whenever the moon is full, they say, if you listen closely, you may hear more ravings from the "Cheney is Evil" crowd.
According to a friend, who heard it from a friend, who told it to a friend:

Clemons, director of the American Strategy Program at New America Foundation and publisher of The Washington Note, says Bush has deviated from a Cheney-laid track to launch a first-strike on Iran, citing, as examples, frustrations that the vice president's aides are airing, a conversation with a journalist who sat in on a December 2006 strategy meeting, and private conversations with high-level foreign policy players.

"A mistake in the Gulf where ships collide or US soldiers are attacked or Israel fires a low-level cruise missile attack against Natanz or there's a border skirmish between Iraq and Iran that results in the death of a high-ranking military or diplomatic official – any of these could spark a conflict," he said.

Joe Klein, chief of Time's Iranian Apologies Division is worried about those notorious rogues, the Cheney Gang. Everyone knows how bad things could get if they get their hands anywhere near the controls of power.

"I'm not saying there won't be any war but nothing in Bush’s posture suggests he's really with the Cheney gang yet. But I do worry about the Cheney gang and the [Iran Revolutionary Guard Corps]/Ahmadinejad crowd in Iran trying to precipitate a spark that produces a very fast escalation that circumvents most of Bush’s national security decisionmaking structure -- and that kind of war is something we should worry about. That's what I think could happen.

"An 'accidental war' would escalate quickly and 'end run,' as Cheney aide [David] Wurmser put[s] it, the president's diplomatic, intelligence and military decision-making apparatus," Clemons wrote in his Salon editorial. "It would most likely be triggered by one or both of the two people who would see their political fortunes rise through a new conflict -- Cheney and Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad."

So any conflict with Iran wouldn't be about Iranian-imported IEDs into Iraq to kill U.S. soldiers, or a nuclear-armed Iran blackmailing other countries in the Middle East, or Iran raining down a nuclear holocaust on Israel. It's all about the political calculus of the Cheney Gang.

It's always refreshing to get a Leftard look into the workings of Dick Cheney's brain. America never can hear too much about the Cheney Gang's evil machinations. Because it's never about national defense or U.S. interests; it's always about politics, baby.
Foreign policy expert says Bush has ruled out first-strike on Iran; Worries about 'accidental' conflict
DBKP.com - Bigger, Better!.
Death by 1000 Papercuts Front Page.

THE UPCOMING SINO-AMERICAN WAR

by Mondoreb

An American War with China is inevitable.

This is the opinion last week of Zachary Hubbard, a retired Army officer from near Johnstown, PA.

In a thoughtful, well-reasoned article in the Johnstown Tribune-Democrat, Hubbard, who holds a master’s degree in military art and science from the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College, lays out a grim scenario.

Meanwhile, in a country far, far away, the political, military and economic downfall of the United States is being planned by an intelligent, patient, industrious enemy who hopes never to fire a shot in anger, yet fully expects to win. Its goal: To replace the United States as the world’s reining superpower. The war, by all indications, may have already begun.

I don't necessarily agree with all of Hubbard's point, especially his depictions of Chinese-American trade. But he is far from alone in his concerns about an approaching U.S. war with the Chinese.
The Epoch times a few weeks ago carried the text of a recent speech given by Mr. Chi Haotian, Minster of Defense and vice-chairman of China’s Central Military Commission. In the published transcript, Chi Haotian argues for the depopulation of the USA via biological weapons, before re-colonizing it with Chinese natives.

Chi Haotian would have kept my attention. The following insights were sprinkled throughout his speech:
On the failure of the Nazis to conquer the US and UK in WWII:

What makes us different from Germany is that we are complete atheists, while Germany was primarily a Catholic and Protestant country.

and
The bottom line is, only China, not Germany, is a reliable force in resisting the Western parliament-based democratic system. On the need to not arouse Western fears
AND MORE

But the term “living space” (lebensraum) is too closely related to Nazi Germany. The reason we don’t want to discuss this too openly is to avoid the West’s association of us with Nazi Germany, which could in turn reinforce the view that China is a threat.

Now maybe Mr. Chi Haotian is the Chinese Lyndon LaRouche, without the charm. But Chi Haotian has a military command, which is much more impressive than LaRouche's Army of Nutzoid Conspiracy Theorists. Chi Haotian's also the winner in any Chi-LaRouche uniform fashion showdown.
Factor in talk of Chinese preparing for US war scenarios, a US-Chinese patent war, and a potential US-Chinese space war over US communication satellites, and you'd wonder if it might not be wise to place an online wager on war sometime soon.

If you tend toward the easily-alarmed, reading James Fellows' numerous dispatches from China may calm you down. Fellows, an editor at Atlantic Monthly, details the many flaws in the Chinese system for unaware, non-visting readers.

So what to make of all this talk of the upcoming Sino-American war? I'm not so sure: my Magic 8-Ball is broken and my eyes glaze over just thinking of consulting Nostradamus. Americans can hope that U.S. political figures take the potential Chinese threats seriously.

But one thing you can count on: the topic will grace the cover of many a magazine and appear in countless news stories in the next decade.

DBKP.com - Bigger, Better!.
Back to Front Page.