CEASEFIRE AND MORAL IMPERATIVE

"Boyd recognized the pre-eminence of the moral aspect of war in his discussions of guerrilla conflict. It is the belief of this writer that Boyd would have recognized the pre-eminence of the moral aspect of war in 4GW, and he would have considered morality worthy of a unique place in dealing with 4GW."
~ Greg Wilcox, "Fourth Generation Warfare and the Moral Imperative."

In light of the fact that it appears we have yet another attempt at the creation of a peaceful solution to the situation of the Kurdish people under Turkish occupation, through KKK's ceasefire (due to go into effect 1 October), there were two articles of interest on the Kurdish Globe this week.

In the first, we read that US intentions toward the Kurdish people are moving in rhythm of the same song and dance that we all know so well. The "bad" Kurds remain "bad" Kurds, and the US has no interest in making a place at the table for those issues that "bad" Kurds face daily. Those issues include the recent increase in repression, especially as outlined in the new anti-terror law, the removal of America's allies, the Pashas, from the control of civil government, or an end to the Ankara regime's policy of equality through forced assimilation. Let's make it absolutely clear that this severe repression has been, and continues to be, actively assisted by the policies of the US government.

The joke is that the US has appointed a PKK coordinator in order to "counter PKK," while ignoring gross human rights abuses perpetrated by Turkey, the eternal victim. Considering that both the Ankara regime and Washington have appointed two former generals to "counter the PKK," there will be no effort on the part of either state to negotiate a peaceful solution to the dire situation of the Kurdish people. To complete the tirumvirate of evil against the Kurdish people, is Iraqi general, Amir Amed Hassun, a Sunni Arab.

What we clearly see from these appointments is that there will be no effort made to find a political solution to a political problem. In addition, the very people whose existence depends on a just political solution have no voice in this process because they are not represented in it, as PKK coordinator, Ralston notes:

"It is important for the United States government, the Turkish government and the Iraqi government to cooperate because this is something that is not going to be solved by any one of us alone," he said.

There has never been any mention of the Kurds under Turkish occupation in any statement from the other side. It must be that the "bad" Kurds simply do not exist, which is, in itself, a form of genocide.

While Deep Stater, Ralston, claims that "all options are on the table," clearly this is a lie, because Ralston refuses to meet with representatives of PKK, even though the US meets with representatives of the "insurgency" in Iraq. We also have a clear idea of what kind of interests Ralston represents:

"Turkey is the best possible friend that Iraq could have in that neighborhood; there is no question about that," he noted. "And the economic interests between Iraq and Turkey are critical for both Iraq and Turkey."

That's very enlightening, coming from the vice chairman of The Cohen Group, a lobby group whose purpose is to "help[ing] multinational clients explore opportunities overseas as well as solve problems that may develop," and which has close ties to the American Turkish Council (ATC).

By comparison, we have an example of the hands-off approach of the US and allies, to Iran's premier terrorist organization, Hezbollah. Particularly interesting is the acknowledgement that nothing can be done about disarming Hezbollah, short of a political solution:

For now, all sides say it's likely full disarmament will happen only in the future as part of a political solution - despite the U.N. resolution that ended the 34-day war on Aug. 14 and required disarmament.

Until a political solution is discovered, some time in the indeterminate future, Hezbollah remains fully armed and faces no pressure to disarm, much less come to a "settlement," although it is on The List® and has targeted Americans in the past.

As PKK and the Kurdish people continue the struggle for a political solution to a problem that all Kurds know is a political problem, the enemies of the Kurdish people continue in the opposite direction; they search only for a military solution. These enemies do not understand that they have chosen the path to failure. The nature of future struggles are not military in nature, but political, as current analyses of these struggles show:

The fact that the root of Fourth Generation war is a political, social and moral phenomenon, the decline of the state, means that there can be no purely military solution to Fourth Generation threats. Military force is incapable, by itself, of restoring legitimacy to a state. This is especially the case when the military force is foreign; usually, its mere presence will further undermine the legitimacy of the state it is attempting to support.

Recent statements from the PKK recognize the fact that it is a political solution that is needed, and the demands of PKK reflect this need. The current move toward ceasefire is still predicated on a laying down of arms on all sides. Continued aggression will receive an aggressive response, and if the US and EU are truly interested in reaching a peaceful settlement, they must support the efforts of the Kurdish people as expressed in the call to ceasefire.

As long as the US continues to manipulate the situation in the Middle East for it's own interests, particularly with regard to Iran, we can expect that no concrete steps will be taken on the part of the warmongers who sit in Washington, Ankara, and Baghdad. We shall have our first hint of which direction the wind is blowing in this regard when Erdogan meets Bush on Monday. Erdogan has already said that his fascist regime will refuse to recognize any ceasefire called by the PKK.

In the meantime, Erdogan is currently in New York, where he will meet with Ahmet Ertegun, among others. Ertegun, as Rastî readers will remember, together with Rupert Murdoch, recently purchased TGRT from Ihlas Holding.

There is one noteworthy thing to keep in mind about Erdogan's visits to the US; He always spends time in New York before heading to Washington. Is it a coincidence that his master, Fethullah Gulen, lives a short 85 miles away in Saylorsburg, Pennsylvania? Is this why Erdogan was desperate to have an official invitation from Washington in July, so that he would be able to confer with his master before Buyukanit took over in August as the real power in Turkey? Inquiring minds want to know.

We have numerous ceasefires in the past that benefited no one because there was no proper response from the enemy's side. We have military men, of which two are deeply involved in Deep State activites, who do not have the experience necessary to negotiate a political solution--even if a political solution were their aim. We have no inclusion of the people of Turkish-occupied Kurdistan in this process, nor has there ever been an acknowledgement of the severe repression of the Kurdish people on the part of any of the states involved. Neither did any of those states acknowledge the ceasefire offer declared by KKK in August. What we have, then, from the other side, is a total lack of moral imperative.

Thus, history repeats itself.

MINEFIELDS, UXO'S, AND TURKISH NON-COMPLIANCE

"Minefields must be marked to prevent fratricide. Marking ensures that friendly soldiers do not accidentally enter a minefield, and it is a requirement under STANAGs and Geneva Convention agreements."
~ FM 20-32, Mine/Countermine Operations.

The Ankara regime is still making no effort to bring itself in compliance with the Ottawa Treaty, as reported by Bianet.

According to the article, local legislation required by the Treaty has not been passed, there is no National Mine Activity official or center, the regime has stocks of over two million mines which must be disposed of by March, 2008, and there are still a million mines planted within Turkey's borders, all of which must be removed by 2014. Last year, the regime removed under 18,000 of those.

As discussed earlier on Rastî, the TSK does not emplace minefields according to Geneva Convention requirements or NATO Standardization Agreements (STANAG's). How are NATO armies supposed to do that? Well, let's take a look at the US Army's own field manual on mine operations:

MINEFIELD MARKING

CRITERIA

Minefields must be marked to prevent fratricide. Marking ensures that friendly soldiers do not accidentally enter a minefield, and it is a requirement under STANAGs and Geneva Convention agreements. When emplacing minefields behind the forward line of own troops (FLOT) (in the main battle or rear area), mark the minefields on all four sides. This includes air-delivered Volcano minefields that are sited and emplaced before the enemy attacks.

Gator, RAAM, and ADAM minefields are exceptions to the rule. To preserve the system's flexibility and because of the relative inaccuracy of emplacement, these minefields are not normally marked before emplacement unless the tactical situation permits. Marking the area where mines are to be emplaced by artillery or fixed-wing aircraft is not recommended. Mines could likely be emplaced outside the marked area.

Forward of the FLOT, minefields are not generally marked before emplacement. However, commanders must make every attempt to mark these minefields as soon as the tactical situation allows. For scatterable minefields, a commander may choose to remove markings once the self-destruct (SD) time of the mines has expired; but the location of the minefield must still be recorded and forwarded to higher and adjacent units in case some of the mines did not self-destruct.

PERIMETER

Construct a perimeter fence (Figure 2-24) to mark a minefield. Start emplacing the perimeter fence before emplacing mines, preferably during site layout if the tactical situation permits. For conventional minefields, ensure that the perimeter fence is at least 15 meters outside the nearest mine or cluster. For scatterable minefields, the area inside the perimeter fence must include the safety zone. (See Chapter 3 for more details.)

Place warning signs for areas containing emplaced mines. Space the warning signs 10 to 50 meters apart, depending on the terrain. If using pickets and barbwire to mark the minefield, ensure that the wire is waist-high. If using concertina wire, use a one-roll height. Place additional strands of barbwire or rolls of concertina at the discretion of the commander.

They even have pictures of how this is supposed to look. How many fences, signs and concertina wire has anyone ever noticed around TSK's minefields in Turkish-occupied Kurdistan? TSK doesn't do this for two reasons. First, Mehmet is badly trained. Second, the regime doesn't care if local Kurds get blown away. Therefore, why bother marking your minefields like a good little NATO member?

Many times, the ones getting blown away are Kurdish children, as mentioned in the Bianet article. However, it sounds like these unfortunate children got ahold of a piece of unexploded ordnance (UXO), another scourge that litters the landscape of Turkish-occupied Kurdistan. Everything you want to know about UXO's and procedures for handling them can be found in another US Army field manual.

According to Bianet, there were posters made up to teach children about the dangers of UXO's and landmines. What is interesting is the districts where the posters were sent:

Last May, the posters were sent to 11 provinces where mine incidents have been recorded, to be distributed in a number of schools: Agri (670), Batman (392), Bingol (335), Bitlis (393), Diyarbakir (1070), Elazig (430), Hakkari (250), Siirt (341), Sirnak (250), Tunceli (47) and Van (794).

Those are all Kurdish areas; however Sêrt didn't get the posters.

None of this is really news. Checking Bianet's archives reveals that the same problems were in place six years ago:

Balci pointed out that the mines in the region continue explode and that many people fall victim to this serious threat. He added that they started their campaign on December 7 in 2000 with the support of the Turkish Human Rights Association (ÝHD) and the Swiss anti-mine campaigners.

"Every year, many people lose their life and many others are seriously injured. Without any serious measures, many villagers will lose their life or be injured in increasing numbers wit the rise in the number of displaced people who want to go back to their land and villages," Balci told bianet.

They have prepared some booklets about the mine risk in the region and have sent them to parliamentarians and others organisations to request that the mines should be cleared from the region immediately and must not be used ever again, he added.

The campaigners claim that during the conflict between the PKK and the Turkish Army in the 1990s, the depopulated villages had mines laid all around them to block the return of the villagers.

Just as the Ankara regime had no qualms about shooting Kurdish children in Amed this past March, and just as it had no qualms in bombing Kurdish children in Amed on 12 September, so the Ankara regime has no qualms about refusing to demine North Kurdistan, or clear out its UXO's. This negligence forms part of the passive warfare that the regime wages against the Kurdish people.

For the last six years, Turkey was handed a unilateral ceasefire by the PKK, even though Turkey believed that the war was over, and the issue of TSK's landmines and UXO's is yet another example of the criminal footdragging that has characterized the regime's negative peace for "The Region," and it is this same regime that is expected to bring about democracy and economic improvements for the Kurdish people?

Don't hold your breath.

THE MODEL OF DEMOCRACY

"Turkey's democracy is an important example for the people in the broader Middle East, and I want to thank you for your leadership."
~ George W. Bush to R. Tayyip Erdogan, June, 2005.

Mayors from Turkey's mainly Kurdish southeast region walk towards the courthouse to attend their trial in the southeastern Turkish city of Diyarbakir September 26, 2006. REUTERS.

56 Kurdish mayors of the Demokratik Toplum Partisi (DTP) went on trial today in Amed, Turkish-occupied Kurdistan, for writing a letter to Danish PM Anders Fogh Rasmussen, in order to urge Denmark's continued support for the right of free expression and for the continued broadcasting of Roj TV from Denmark.

Let's review. Here's the letter and the names of all the mayors who signed it:

His Excellency Anders Fogh Rasmussen
DiyarbakIr, December 27, 2005
Dear Mr. Anders Fogh Rasmussen:

This letter is to express our concerns about the ongoing debates and developments around the situation of ROJ TV. As the members of Democratic Society Party (DTP) who are mayors of 56 municipalities located predominantly in the Kurdish-populated regions of Turkey, we are worried about the anti-democratic approaches through which the case of ROJ TV is being handled by Turkish government in the international arena. Unfortunately, we observe that there still exists a fundamental difference between Turkey and the European civilization in matters of freedom of press and expression.

That the ROJ TV broadcasts are aired from Europe is a disturbing fact for us, too. This has been a direct consequence of the constitutional and legal regulations that do not allow for free Kurdish broadcasting in Turkey. It was only thanks to the pressures in the process of Turkey's integration with the EU that Turkey has granted limited rights for Kurdish language broadcasts, with state television airing 45-minute programmes on a weekly basis. Privately-owned local television stations wanting to broadcast in Kurdish, on the other hand, are still faced with legal and often arbitrary administrative obstacles. As it also well-known by the international community, restrictions on freedom of expression are situated at the heart of the authoritarian political tradition that has repressed any kind of difference in terms of culture, language and identity in Turkey.

We expect the Turkish government to abide by and fulfill the political criteria stated in the Copenhagen Document. So, rather than banning the ROJ TV, we hope that Turkey will eventually legalize, embrace and become a constituent of the voice of ROJ TV. We wish that one day ROJ TV will be able to broadcast from nowhere else but from Istanbul, Ankara or Diyarbakir, and will be only one among many other Kurdish TV stations that will be launched also with the support of Turkish government.

It is a well-known fact that ROJ TV has millions of audiences within and outside Turkey. Whether one agrees or not with the broadcasting policy of the TV station, the content and arguments of its programs, is something to be discussed, and should always be discussed given the fact that free flow of information and ideas is the lifeblood of political debates. But the banning of ROJ TV would not contribute to our efforts to create a truly pluralistic and democratic life in Turkey. We believe that, within the current state of politics, voice of ROJ TV represents a constructive and positive contribution towards the progress of freedom of _expression, that is, one of the essential foundations of European democratic civilization that cannot yet be fully guaranteed within Turkey.

For a truly democratic life to flourish in Turkey, ROJ TV should not be silenced. This is the sincere and common demand of the people we represent at the level of local governments. The elimination of the voice of ROJ TV would mean the loss of an important vehicle in the struggle for democracy, human rights and fundamental freedoms of democratic civilization.

Kind regards,

1- Osman BAYDEMIR Mayor, Diyarbakir Metropolitan President, Union of South-Eastern Anatolia Region Municipalities

2- Husseyin KALKAN Mayor , Batman

3- Ahmet ERTAK Mayor, Sirnak

4- Metin TEKKE Mayor, Hakkari

5- Songol Erol ABDIL Mayor, Tunceli

6- Firat ANLI Mayor, Yenisehir

7-Yurdusev OZSOKMENLER Mayor, Baglar

8-Kutbettin TASKIRAN Mayor, Silvan Bayrambasi

9-Zulfikar KARATEKIN Mayor, KayapInar

10- Nadir BINGOL Mayor, Ergani

11-Abdullah DEMIRBAS Mayor, Surici

12- Sukran AYDIN Mayor, Bismil

13-Fikret KAYA Mayor, Silvan

14-Seyhmus BAYHAN Mayor, Lice

15-Abdullah AKENGIN Mayor, Dicle

16-Mehmet KAYA Mayor, Kocakaya

17-Esat ONER Mayor, Batman Gercus

18-Murat CEYLAN Mayor, Siirt Kurtalan

19-Seyfettin AYDIN Mayor, Siirt Gokbasi

20-Ethem SAHIN Mayor, Urfa Suruc

21-Emrullah CIN Mayor, Viransehir

22-Ismail ARSLAN Mayor, CeylanpInar

23-Huseyin OGRETMEN Mayor, Halfeti

24-Aydin BUDAK Mayor, Cizre

25-Resul SADAK Mayor, Idil

26-Muhsin KONUR Mayor, Silopi

27-Gulcihan SIMSEK Mayor, Van Bostanici

28-Hursit TEKIN Mayor, Semdinli

29-Faik DURSUN Mayor, Beytussebap

30-M.Salih YILDIZ Mayor, Yuksekova

31-Hursit ALTEKIN Mayor, Hakkari Esendere

32-Ayhan ERKMEN Mayor, Mardin Dargecit

33-Cihan SINCAR Mayor, Kiziltepe

34-Molla SIMSEK Mayor, Konya Cihanbeyli Gulyazi

35-Ramazan KAPAN Mayor, Mardin Derik

36- Nuran ATLI Mayor, Mazidagi

37-Mehmet TANHAN Mayor, Nusaybin

38-Ayhan ERKMEN Mayor, Kars Digor Dagpinar

39-M.Selim DEMIR Mayor, Batman Bekirhan

40-A. Kadir AZAOGLU Mayor, Kiziltepe Senyurt

41-A.Kerim ADAN Mayor, Mardin YalImlI

42-Zeyniye ONER Mayor, Savur

43-Demir CELIK Mayor, Mus Varto

44-Tahir KAHRAMANER Mayor, Malazgirt

45-Ali YILDIZ Mayor, Malazgirt

46-Orhan OZER Mayor, BulanIk Gedik

47-Mukaddes KUBILAY Mayor, Dogubeyazit

48- M.Nezir ARAS Mayor, BulanIk

49-Nusret ARAS Mayor, Igdir HoShaber

50- Leyla GUVEN Mayor, Adana Seyhan Kayadikili

51-Muzaffer YONDEMLI Mayor, AydIn Ovaeymir

52-Osman KESER Mayor, Adana YakapInar

53-Hasan KARAKAYA Mayor, Yaylakonak

54-Seyfettin ALKAN Mayor, Batman BalpInar

55- Burhan KORHAN Mayor, Batman Besiri

56- Fahrettin ASLAN Mayor, Besiri

The Turkish state is against everything the mayors said in that letter. Let's not forget, either, that the mayors are representing their people, so this letter is a representation of the will of the Kurdish people.

A report on the opening of the trial can be read at the International Herald Tribune. The mayors are standing behind their letter and, if convicted, each one will receive up to 15 years' imprisonment for aiding a "terrorist" organization. It looks like it's a good thing there are Danish observers at the trial, because Denmark is the country which has yet to receive any proof from the Ankara regime to prove that Roj TV has any so-called terrorist links--after more than a year of trying.

Part of Turkey's argument for alleged PKK ties to Roj TV is based on the fact that Roj TV regularly airs interviews with PKK leadership and reports on clashes in the region, but if that meant that Roj TV had ties to PKK, then we could say the same about American TV for all the videos it airs from Osama bin Laden. I won't go into the fact that the Ankara regime hosts HAMAS delegations in Ankara, even though it's widely known that HAMAS is on The List®. The US also recently hossted the terrorist leader of the terrorist Iranina state within its borders, as well as the former president of that same terrorist state, Mohammed Khatami.

But what's a little terrorism among friends, eh?

Further along in the IHT article, we see who's really in charge of Turkey:

The country's powerful military is highly suspicious of the Kurdish mayors' affiliation and is critical of their performance.

Since when is military control of civilian government a democratic mechanism? In democracies, politicians only have to worry if their constituents are critical of their performance or their "affiliations," but in Bush's model of democracy, Turkey, politicians have to worry if the Pashas are critical of their performance. Yet, remember, this is America's model of democracy for the Middle East. Someone should tell them that most Middle Eastern countries are already emulating this model.

Let's put it this way: For America, talk of democracy is the opiate of the people.

Under our shining Turkish democracy, many of these mayors are also facing charges for other "crimes," like "violating the right to assembly":

Baydemir faces other charges, along with DTP leader Ahmet Turk and some 32 civil group heads, for violating the right to assembly.

Diyarbakir police late Sunday filed a complaint against the mayor and those who attended a demonstration to protest the recent bomb attack in Diyarbakir that killed 10 people, including seven children.

The problem here is that there is no right to free assembly in Turkey, which is another reason why I cannot understand people who speak of "democracy," and "Turkey" in the same breath while maintaining a straight face. The only right to assemble applies to government-sponsored assemblies, which usually deteriorate into lynching parties, while the police stand by and enjoy the show.

Yenisehir mayor, Firat Anli, spoke for his comrades before entering the court, from the AP, carried on the Houston Chronicle:

Appearing before the court in Diyarbakir, the largest city in Turkey's Kurdish-dominated southeast, the mayors pleaded innocent to the charges and defended their letter as "free speech."

"We are standing behind each of the 405 words in our famous letter," Yenisehir Mayor Firat Anli told the court, reading from the five-page statement. "If examined, our letter points to the need for maturity to tolerate opposition to freedom of speech and the establishment of a democratic living system."

Who is it, then, who really wants to see democracy in Turkish-occupied Kurdistan? The US? The Ankara regime? The EU? Or these Kurdish mayors?

And what of the EU? They say the situation of human rights in Turkey is regressing:

Turkey can expect to get bad marks for human rights in an upcoming report to be released by the European Parliament, four members of the body's subcommittee on human rights said yesterday at the conclusion of a fact-finding mission.

[ . . . ]

The impression is that the situation is going backwards, said Italian lawmaker Vittorio Agnoletto, who said he was particularly disturbed by an overwhelming military presence in southeastern Anatolian provinces like Hakkari.

When I was in Hakkari, I felt like I was in a prison, Agnoletto said. It is not possible to consider all the population of a region as terrorists.

So what is the EU doing about it? Nothing, other than the usual hand-wringing and whimpering. And what of the European literati? Who can tell me where all of them are? They always get themselves worked up into a lather over the prosecutions of famous novelists, but where are they now? Where is that same fanatic devotion to the right of freedom of expression for all of these Kurdish mayors, or for the Kurdish people? What about the question of democracy for Western Turkey?

Was that a pin that just dropped?

PLAYING IN THE MOUNTAINS

"I read the newspapers avidly. It is my one form of continuous fiction. "
~ Aneurin Bevan (1897-1960).

There's been a lot of continuous fiction in the news over the weekend, with the biggest spin coming from TDN. Let's take a look.

First, in an article where we find the US begging its friend, Turkey, for some more help in pulling American chestnuts out of the fire in Afghanistan, we learn that the US is putting the military option in dealing with the big, bad PKK on the back burner, as a last resort. It doesn't require a brain surgeon to figure out that the US doesn't want to come to the mountains and play with Kurdish gerîlas for the next forty years.

Hell, we all know that not even Buyukanit, with his big mouth, is willing to come and play for the next forty years. I mean, despite the propaganda for nonexistent Turkish military "famous capabilities," the TSK couldn't hang except for a few months at a time in playing with Kurdish gerîlas in South Kurdistan during the 1990's--and that was with KDP help! Nor does Buyukanit forget that a number of his comrade pashas were blown out of the sky by the big, bad PKK in those days. No wonder he'd rather shoot off his big mouth from well behind the front lines.

This spin on alleged Turkish military prowess is only going to work on the ignorant. Think about it; when was the last time the TSK was involved in a real war? That would be Korea. Since then, the only military prowess exercised by the TSK has been against unarmed Kurdish civilians under Turkish occupation, or against a few thousand Kurdish gerîlas, or against unarmed Cypriot civilians in Turkish-occupied Cyprus. The TSK specializes in fighting civilians, but there's no way it's going to get into a real fight. That's why the pashas are only going to send 800 to 1,000 Mehmetciks to Lebanon--out of an 800,000 strong army, second largest in NATO--and, since everything has hotted up in Afghanistan, that's why the pashas are balking at sending more Mehmetciks for that "peacekeeping" mission.

The war against Kurdish and Cypriot civilians is the war that the West has been funding, with all those billions of dollars of US-taxpayer subsidized arms sales included.

The Afghan women's group, RAWA, has had serious reservations about TSK's presence in Afghanistan. Check it out, here. They were concerned because they've heard what Turkish military prowess is all about. In a nutshell, it's about something like the rape of one woman by countless Mehmetciks, as can be read here. When the story first broke, back in 2003, we all knew there would be an acquittal. Turkish courts always acquit security forces in their atrocities. This case will end up at the court in Strassbourg. It's not the only case of its kind either, and these atrocities give an accurate description of TSK's "famous capabilities."

State Department lackey, Fried, also tells a big, whopping lie by saying, " I don't rule anything in or out. But [Ralston's] focus is on the PKK threat, the PKK threat in Iraq and their cross-border actions in Turkey, which are acts of terrorism and we condemn them."

Well, Mr. Fried, you do rule things in and out, because as you and other Deep Staters love to repeat, you claim you will not negotiate with "terrorists," even though you negotiate with "terrorists" in Iraq and even though the US has a long history of negotiating with "terrorists." There are also no "cross-border actions" involved here with the PKK, because the PKK is located in Kurdistan and conducts defensive operations in Kurdistan. Some of those operations are against the Turkish occupying forces and some are against the Iranian occupying forces, but all of them are within Kurdistan.

Fried is not the only one busily gilding the lily. Check out Buyukanit's lies in a second article from TDN. Buyukanit says that he (i.e. Turkey) will not delegate responsibility for the fight against PKK to foreigners. But the truth is that since PKK called off it's unilateral 5-year ceasefire, the Ankara regime has been crying, begging, throwing temper tantrums, to the US to do something about those pesky gerîlas. This is why Buyukanit is so sensitive about referring to Ralston as the Special Coordinator for PKK, because it's a sign of Turkish inability to do anything about PKK, or about the Kurdish national movement in general.

After all, there are some 250,000 Mehmetcik's enforcing the occupation and all of them huddling together in fear of, maybe, 5,000 Kurdish gerîlas, in a fight that has been ongoing since 1984. The bottom line is that this situation exists because the racists in Ankara refuse to negotiate a political solution, and a political solution is going to be the only solution because all the problems directed against the Kurdish people are political problems. Until the racists give up their racism, Turkey will continue to beg for a military solution from the US, no matter how much hot air Buyukanit wants to blow.

There's a really spectacular title running at StrategyPage. It goes like this: The Peaceful Kurds and their Turkish Protectors. The "peaceful Kurds?" Okay, what they really mean to say are the "good" Kurds, as opposed to the "bad" Kurds, but the fun really starts in the second paragraph: "Since the Turks are known to be tough fighters, and more than a match for the Kurds, the Kurds of northern Iraq have decided to make a deal."

Again, let's do the math: 250,000 Mehmetciks vs. 5,000 gerîlas. You would think that this ratio would be indicative of something besides Turks being "more than a match for the Kurds." This is really another example of Buyukanit relegating authority for the fight against PKK, this time to the KDP and PUK, particularly since those two parties have served Ankara so well in the past. But, believe me, those two parties are as eager to come to the mountains and play for the next forty years as the US is. Playing games with PKK is not going to be conducive to attracting foreign investment, which has been the main focus of the Başurî parties, even to the detriment of providing basic services and jobs for the Başurî population. With all the discontent among the people themselves, neither KDP or PUK has the luxury of getting involved in the mountains.

We should take all of this for what it is: more of the same in the domestic Turkish power struggle between the pashas and the Islamists. In this power struggle, we should not rule out the option of a hard coup, especially since AKP politicians are being targeted, sometimes successfully, by the hired guns of the desperate pashas.

Expect more of the same for the future. In the meantime, PKK will continue to bring the games to the TSK.

BREAKING NEWS ON KURDISH-ISRAELI RELATIONS

"Somewhere along the line, many Americans relegated the media to a notch on the morality scale only slightly above that of child molesters."
~ Gregory Kane, Baltimore Sun, 1997.

Rastî has just obtained stunning evidence that proves, without doubt, that the highly respected journalists at the BBC have figured out how to use the Google search engine.

Wednesday evening it was revealed by the BBC that they had finally obtained proficiency in operating the world's premier search engine, Google, and created a sensation by revealing news from December, 2005. While it wasn't clear whether BBC executives were aware that the Guardian had reported the same news last December, insiders seem to hint that cub reporter and ace analyst, Magdi Abdelhadi, who broke the story on this nine-month-old news, has become one of the BBC's rising journalistic stars.

One BBC source, who wished to remain anonymous, told Rastî: "Magdi has certainly made a name for herself with our executive staff, as a result of her keen research and analytic abilities. She is definitely on the fast-track to bigger and better things--perhaps even investigative reporting."

When asked if she thought there were some inconsistency with the tone of her report about a Kurdish-Israeli relationship, given that Western countries, as well as many Arab and Muslim countries, have close diplomatic and political relationships with the Jewish state, Ms. Abdelhadi stated:

"As an ethnic Arab, I am well aware that many Arab or Muslim countries, such as Turkey, have close relationships with Israel. I also realize that Kurds are primitive, backward, tribal mountain-dwellers, who should not operate under the pretence of civilization on the world stage, thereby establishing political or diplomatic relationships with modern nation-states. Notwithstanding my own personal feelings, I am confident that I remain objective and unbiased in my reporting. It goes without saying that I am a professional."

When asked what her future plans were, Ms. Abdelhadi replied, "In the next year, I would like to become proficient in the use of Microsoft Wordpad. Gaining mastery over that utility will be a great career boost for me."

DOSSIER OF THE AMED MASSACRE

"Chase after the truth like all hell and you'll free yourself, even though you never touch its coattails."
~ Clarence Darrow.

From the hevals at KurdishInfo, I'm very happy to share the dossier on the recent bombing in Amed, because, you know, you can never have too much truth.

Kurdish Centre for Human Rights
Centre Kurde des Droits de l'Homme
Navenda Kurd a Mafên Mîrov

DOSSIER:

THE BOMB BLAST IN DIYARBAKIR ON 12 SEPTEMBER 2006:



IS IT THE RESURGENCE OF DEEP STATE FORCES?

A DANGER OF CIVIL WAR?

1 - Introduction:

This is a dossier compiled to give the reader an overview of the bomb blast that took place in Diyarbakir on 12 September 2006. It sparked many controversies as the media and officials in Turkey directly linked the incident to the PKK without any investigation into the incident. The PKK is known to the target the military in the region, however has not as of yet targeted the civilian population. For this reason it brought about many question marks as to who is behind this horrific action. The human rights situation has deteriorated in the region intensively since the start of the year as the military announced that they will deploy troops to the border of Iraq and Turkey. The military made many remarks into annihilating the PKK insurgence.

At the hight of intense military operations and attacks by the HPG (People’s Defence Forces) the DTP (Democratic Society Party) and 200 Turkish and Kurdish intellectuals made a press statement separately calling for KONGRA-GEL to a cease-fire. KONGRA-GEL officials in an interview gave the image that they may make such a cease-fire. However, the following day on the anniversary of the 12 September 1980 military coupe a bomb blasted in Diyarbakir, known to Kurds as the Kurdish capital. As the military operations intensified human rights violations increased.

Bomb blasts continued to increase throughout Turkey. Bomb attacks in the western metropolitans of Turkey, assumed by TAK (Kurdistan Freedom Falcons, an extremist Kurdish group) took many lives. TAK till now has made statements assuming every attack that they have instigated, however, no statement assuming the Diyarbakir attacks have been made regarding the bomb blast in Diyarbakir. These attacks have increased tensions among the society. Lynchs in the metropolitans of Turkey against Kurds increased tremendously. This increase in violence throughout Turkey does show the grave threat of growing nationalistic sentiments on both sides.

These conflicts and increased violence does show signs that it may turn into a civil war. This is a major threat to both the civilian population and peace and democracy in Turkey and the region. We are in a period where every individual, civil society and official needs to be sensitive and voice their outcry for peace and democracy.


2 - Bomb Blast in Diyarbakir in the Midst of Peace Calls:

Yesterday night, 12 September, Baglar-Diyarbakir was rocket by bomb blast near a park in front of a bust stop. 11 people were killed amongst them were 6 children and 16 were wounded. The death may rise.

It is unsettling to see such atrocities to take place throughout the country. Baglar municipal is the poorest in Diyarbakir. Diyarbakir is the lagest Kurdish city in Turkey. It comprises mainly of forcibly displaced people. Many were forced to evacuate their homes at last minute before it was burnt to ashes. They lost everything and were left out in the cold wondering where they could go to. Many found refuge in Kurdish cities such as Diyarbakir or went further west to the metropolitans of Turkey.

Kurdish political parties such as DTP (Democratic Society Party) and hundreds of Turkish and Kurdish intellectuals made calls for peace and democracy just a day before the blast. The DTP made a call to Kongra-Gel to cease-fire and for a long lasting and permanent peace the authorities to encourage the environment. Therefore, to see this blast in a Kurdish region and amidst peace calls is intriguing to say the least. The Turkish Revenge Brigades made a statement assuming the attacks. In there nationalist statement they mentioned that they will kill 10 Kurds in Diyarbakir for every Turk killed in combat (http://www.turkintikamtugayi.8m.com/).

This incident is clearly a continuum of the Semdinli bomb attack and following that were various other attacks on civilians and institutions, such as the Council of State. It is the mentality that brings these orchestrated events.

We call all the people of Turkey, civil societies, intellectuals, international organisations must unite against these attacks and uncover the truth behind this attack.

Kurdish Centre for Human Rights
13 September 2006


3 - Dark Forces Blast a Bomb in Diyarbakir

Diyarbakir (13.09.2006) – Last night a bomb blasted in Baglar-Diyarbakir, near Kosyolu Park in front of a bus stop. Eight people were killed, 6 of them children, 16 people wounded. The wounded were taken to Dicle University Medicine Faculty. DTP (Democratic Society Party) representatives stated that during a period where messages are being given to end hostilities indicated that this type of incident is the work of dark forces. Former JITEM (Gendarme Intelligence Organisation Centre), Special Forces and confessors were brought to the city a short period before the incident. (…)

1 Year Old Baby Died

1 Year old baby, Ezgi Yetisecek, taken into intensive care died, a heavily wounded 7-8 year child is in critical condition. 12 people are being treated at Diyarbakir State Hospital. (..)

The names of the wounded during the blast are as follows: Erkan Bir, Mubin Cicekli, Ali Haydar Kaplan, Sahin Songur, Murat Akboz, Hasan Cakar, A. Samet Ilhan, Selahattin Altinoglu, Mehmet Simsek, Neytullah Dag, Seyfettin Can, Vehbi Tanriverdi, Suleyman Yuksel, Emine Yetisecek, Nadihe Cetinkaya. (…)

STATEMENT BY BAYDEMIR

Diyarbakir Municipal Mayor Osman Baydemir was in Istanbul yesterday called for cease-fire at a press conference. Baydemir made a statement regarding the incident stating that some forces want to take the country into darness despite their call for peace, “however we are are adamant in pulling the country out of the dark and into the light.”

Democratic Society Party (DTP) Vice President Sedat Yurttas stated that the explosion in Diyarbakir is a provocation.

JITEM Members Were Called to Diyarbakir

Baglar municipal is the poorest in Diyarbakir. Diyarbakir is the lagest Kurdish city in Turkey. It comprises mainly of forcibly displaced people due to the terror of Turkish military forces from the region. For this reason for the incident to take place at Baglar and after a call for peace does create intrigue as to who is behind the incident. A short period before the incident former members of JITEM was called to Diyarbakir.

A separate building by the 7th Army Corps Commandship was allocated 3 weeks ago to educate JITEM and confessors on operational and intelligence matters. (….)

ANF – FIRAT NEWS AGENCY


4 - Turkish Revenge Brigades’ claims responsibility for the bomb attack in Amed (Diyarbakir)

The notorious Turkish ultra-nationalist terrorist group ‘Turkish Revenge Brigade’ (Turkish: “Turk Intikam Tugayi”, “TIT”) claimed on their homepage responsibility for the bomb attack outside a family park in the Baglar district of Amed (Diyarbakir) in northern Kurdistan (southeastern Turkey). The blast killed seven Kurdish children and three adults. Another 13 people were wounded, of them two seriously.

NEWSDESK, Sep 14 (DozaMe.org) - The notorious Turkish ultra-nationalist terrorist group ‘Turkish Revenge Brigade’ (Turkish: “Turk Intikam Tugayi”, “TIT”) claimed on their homepage responsibility for the bomb attack outside a family park in the Baglar district of Amed (Diyarbakir) in northern Kurdistan (southeastern Turkey). The blast killed seven Kurdish children and three adults. Another 13 people were wounded, of them two seriously.
The blast occurred around 21:00 (9 p.m. EEST) at a bus stop outside a family park in Baglar district of Amed (Diyarbakir) ripping through a crowd consisting of Kurdish families on their way home from the park. A total of 10 Kurds, seven of them children, were killed and thirteen others were wounded.

The names of the dead are:

* Nazli Çetinkaya and her children Abdullah Çetinkaya (5 months), Nazar Çetinkaya (2)

* Vahide Demir (33) and her children Mizgin Demir (12), Zilan Demir (8), Shilan Demir (6 months) and Evin Demir

* Rojhat Aslan

Two other killed in the blast have not yet been identified.

On their website http://turkintikamtugayi.8m.com, the Turkish ultra-nationalist terrorist group TIT claimed yesterday responsibility for the blast outside the family park in the Baglar district.

“To the great Turkish people. In the recent period in many of the areas of our country, the bloody PKK terrorist organization has martyred our soldiers, police officers and our youth. We, as the Turkish Revenge Brigade, swear on our flag colored red with the blood of our martyrs, that for every Turk that PKK kills in [western Turkey], we will kill 10 Kurds in Diyarbakir. […] Here are photos taken during the preparation for the operation on September 12, 2006, dedicated to Private Ali Balikci who was martyred during duty by the PKK terrorist organization in the Eruh district of Siirt,” the statement read. It ends with the slogan, “A good Kurd is a dead Kurd.”

A set of pictures were added to the homepage, showing the preparation of the bomb that was used in the attack. The bomb consisted of a 12-liter blue termos container, a walkie-talkie relay detonator, an activator, the top of a metal gas container as a balancing weight that was placed in the bottom of the termos and a case believed to contain C-4 plastic explosive.

PHOTOS OF THE PREPARATION FOR THE ATTACK FROM TIT’S HOMEPAGE:

(Caption: Photo taken by TIT terrorists shows a 12-liter thermos container, a walkie-talkie relay detonator, the top metal part of a gas container used as a balancing weight, an activator and a case believed to contain plastic explosives. This bomb was used in the attack.)

DozaMe.org identified the walkie-talkie as the cheap, high quality, license-free, water resistant ‘Aselsan MT-725 Cobra’ with a maximum reach of 3 kilometers, a power output of 500 mW and a battery life of 24 hours. The walkie-talkie is manufactured by Aselsan, a Turkish company owned by the ‘Turkish Armed Forces Foundation’

A RUTHLESS GROUP WITH A BLACK HISTORY

The ‘Turkish Revenge Brigade’ gained fame during the political clashes between left-wing and right-wing groups in Turkey and Kurdistan in the 70s and 80s. The group is believed to be responsible for over 1,000 deaths during that time period.

The group was scattered with the Turkish military takeover on September 12, 1980, and most of its members were arrested during the first sweep by the Junta. The members were later released and integrated with the Turkish military intelligence agency JITEM and used in black operations against Kurdish political and cultural figures during the Kurdish insurgency in the mid-80s and throughout the 90s. The group has maintained low-profile since PKK’s unilateral ceasefire on September 1, 1998.

TIT is now believed to be one of many subsections of the gang collectively known as “Atabeyler.” The Atabeyler gang’s existence — believed to be an ‘open secret’ in the corridors of Ankara — was unearthed by the Turkish AKP administration after an attack on the Turkish Council of State on May 17, 2006. The Turkish judge Mustafa Yücel Özbilgin of the Second Chamber was killed and four other judges were wounded. The assailant, Alparslan Aslan, a lawyer with Islamic fundamentalist and Turkish ultra-nationalist sympathies, was arrested for the murder.



Alparslan Aslan’s interrogation led to the arrest of several retired and serving military service men and police officers. The operation was named as “Atabeyler Operation” but satisfying results could not be obtained due to interference by the higher Turkish military echelon who claimed most of the suspects as “their own.” A reference in Turkey enough to make anybody an ‘untouchable’.

The Atabeyler’s aim was to provoke a new military takeover in Turkey.


5 - TIT is Under the Control of the Military

Gundem newspaper, 18-09-2006 – While the government and the police were denouncing the involvement of the Turkish Revenge Brigades’ (TIT) in the bomb attacks in the Diyarbakir, Timurtas stated during his court trial that TIT was under the control of the military.



Triggerman Timurtas Confessed

Although the bombing in Diyarbakir, which resulted in the death of 10 civilians, was assumed by TIT the incident is trying to be blamed on the PKK. While the government and the police are denying the existence of TIT, during the court trial of triggerman Adil Timurtas, who was given a Reward from Special Forces Commandship, showed that TIT was under the control of the military.

Operation under the Control of the Military

Timurtas who spoke several years ago in Nokta Magazine, explained TIT as follows: “Inside TIT there were police officers, soldiers and also confessors and civil nationalists. The relationship of JITEM (Gendarme Intelligence Organisation Headquarters, once also denied by authorities, there no official offices of this organisation) and TIT was under control. They mainly preferred sabotage actions.” Last year Timurtas was taken into custody while extorting money from DEHAP (People’s Democracy Party, former pro-Kurdish party, now dessolved) administrators, he was later released. During his interview he stated that actions or operations were executed under different organisational names to mislead the public opinion.

TIT is Protected by the Military

Although TIT assumed the attacks on 12 September 2006 in Diyarbakir, which resulted in the deaths of 10 people, officials in their statements denied their involvement. Adil Timurtas was awarded 2 times by Special Forces Commandship, he stated that TIT under the control of the military perpatrated many extra-judicial incidents in the region. The incident, which resulted in the deaths of 10 people, 8 of them children, and wounding of 17 people in Baglar, Diyarbakir, is still awaiting the arrest of the perpatrators and the enlightment of the backstage of the incident. After the bomb attack in Diyarbakir the issue of gangs within the state were put on the spotlight once more.

He Spoke to Nokta Magazine

After the killing of Major Cem Ersever in October of 1993, known for extra-judicial killings in the Kurdish region with a gang he formed under JITEM. Adil Timurtas a PKK confessor and civil servant of OHAL (State Of Emergency) confessed to Nokta Magazine under the name of Ali Pinar as a TIT member to correspondents Ayse Onal and Can Karatas.

He Spoke Under a Different Name

Ali Pinar spoke about the killing of Cem Ersever as ‘the Major was a traitor’. During an investigation in Diyarbakir DGM (State Security Court) Prosecutor in 1998 in the confessions of Ibrahim Babat TIT member Ali Pinar was identified as being Adil Timurtas. This interview was made 24 days after the death of Cem Ersever, the leader of JITEM. This made the killing of Ersever more complex and this interview by Nokta magazine was also a threat message to those who were loyal to him within JITEM.

Instead of KAP, TIT

Confessor Adil Timurtas, explained TIT as follows: ‘TIT thought quite alot about the Major (meaning Cem Ersever) and his partication in the organisation, however, he did not participate. They did not have any problem forming the gang, nearly everyday security forces lost their friends and were continually the target of the PKK in the region, so the potential was established long before. For this reason it was first thought that it be named KAP (Kemalist Soldier Police). They decided not to. Because KAP would give the image that it is a state force. But, there were not only soldiers or police officers. There were also confessors and civil nationalists. After a long discussion TIT became operative. Along with the acitivities of the hardlined HIZBULLAH extra-judicial killings in the region TIT also executed many extra-judicial killings.’

TIT Under the Control of Soldiers

Timurtas said the following regarding the relationship between JITEM and TIT: ‘The activities of JITEM and TIT, which worked independently from TIT, was under the total control of the Major (Cem Ersever). At first instead of killing of targets, the preference was to do sabotage actions thought to be detterent. Innocent actions like placing a bomb in the vehicle of the President of Diyarbakir Bar Association, the torching of the Diyarbakir office of Yeni Ulke newspaper, were perpatrated by the group of the Major.’

TIT known for many massacres in the region also changed names to mislead targets. Adli Timurtas during his conffessions stated that after the torching of Yeni Ulke newspaper a letter was left at the door titled ‘Islamic Mucahid Union (Islamic Fist).’ This was also recorded by Diyarbakir Police Station police officers Tayyar Karakaya, Ahmet Kose and Eyup Simsik. In the writing by the State Security Court Head Prosecutor sent to 1. Office of Security Office Head Intedant, the information noted in the record of the police officers was also noted.

He is not in Jail but by the Shore

During this time Ali Pinar (Adil Timurtas) instead of being in Diyarbakir Prison he is near a shore having an interview. The answer to the question lies clearly in the 2002/60 numbered dossier at the Diyarbakir 3. High Criminal Court. While Timurtas was a civil servant in the OHAL Regional Governorship he was arrested for having a Kalesnikof weapon in 1993, the execution of his arrest was void. Although Timurtas should be in prison till 1999 he was outside. In the court dossier the address the Timurtas presented attracts great attention, it is ‘Dicle Kral Kizi Dam Special Duty Commandsip Housing’.

He Was Caught Red Handed but later Released

Adil Timurtas last year in May was court by police red handed while trying to extort 30 thousand YTL (approximately 23 thousand Euro) from DEHAP Bagcilar District President Lezgin Bingol. Timurtas, Erdal Atalay, Abdulvahap Demir and Abuzer Gun were taken in custody, they had a JITEM identity card on themselves, were sent to 2. Criminal Court after hearing to Fatih Republic Prosecutor for ‘criminal offence’ and ‘profiting through threat’. They were released with the justification that there was ‘no concrete evidence’. The Republic Prosecutor appealled against the decision. As result of the appeal, the accused were dispatched to a higher court. From here the suspects were released.

The Favourite Among the Special Forces

Because confessor Adil Timurtas participated in military operations in the rural regions of Diyarbakir while he was in the prison he was given an award by the Special Duty Commandship. The name of confessor Adil Timurtas also takes place in the Susurluk (during a car accident in Susurluk government officials and well known gang members were found in the same vehicle) Report. Adil Timurtas on 20 August 1999 while staying in the Diyarbakir confessors ward sent a letter to 3. Diyarbakir State Security Court demanding his release stating that he was not guilty and that he participated in the operations with the acknowledgement of the state. With the letter Timurtas presented 2 fact papers, these documents showed that he participated in operations and the superior gave encouragement. It was determined that the 2 documents presented by Timurtas to the court were operations against the PKK.


6 - Diyarbakir Organization of the Democratic Society Party – PRESS STATEMENT

Dear Press Members,

Our Dear People,

Yesterday night, around 9:15 pm, eleven of our people lost their lives and as many or more people were heavily injured due to a bomb blast in the Kosuyolu Avenue of our city.

First of all, we extend our condolences to the families of the murdered and our people, and wish urgent recovery for the injured.

As is well known, two days ago our Party Center called for a ceasefire in order to assure peace and tranquility and to enable peaceful solution of the problems through democratic dialogue. It is quite striking that this attack occurred only one day after our call for ceasefire, which, we believe, would be met positively. Diyarbakir has never witnessed such an attack and massacre before, even during those past years marked with immense armed-conflicts. First and foremost:

WE CONDEMN THE ATTACK!

We recognize each one of the murdered as our children, siblings and mothers. We feel their pain and suffering in our hearts as the whole society. We believe that all of them are martyrs of democracy, equality and freedom. With its call for ceasefire, Democratic Society Party has added a new dimension to the efforts put forth by diverse sectors of the society, including writers, academicians and businessmen, toward creating peace. The call for ceasefire has created a new hope for peace among all sectors of the society.

The timing of the event and that it happened in Diyarbakir clearly demonstrates the nature of the provocation that the society faces. We have serious worries and suspicion that similar incidents may occur in the future.

That is why we invite all sectors of the society to act in a responsible and prudent manner, to be sensitive and to continue their efforts in contributing to the process of peace, to the silencing of guns and to the solution of problems through democratic dialogue.

We invite the government, Turkish Grand National Assembly, political parties, NGOs, workers and business circles; citizen, intellectual and peace initiatives to fulfill their responsibilities and to embrace and support the call for ceasefire and peace raised by our Party Center.

We want to once again emphasize that despite this provocation we will continue and deepen our efforts toward realizing our call for the cease-fire and creation of peace.

Sincere Regards,
13.09.2006


7- News Prepared by the Press Unit of Diyarbakir Metropolitan Municipality:

After the bomb attacks in the city, the Diyarbakir Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Osman Baydemir interrupted his programme in Istanbul and immediately returned to Diyarbakir. Baydemir said that the attacks explicitly targeted the civilians and aimed to sabotage the demands for peace.

In his statements made to the press at the airport, Mayor Osman Baydemir said that they were going through times of great difficulty and pain, and that he was appalled by the great suffering being experienced in Diyarbakir.

After noting that he had gone to Ankara to make a call for peace and reminding the call for ceasefire made together with the Democratic Society Party (DTP) Chair, Baydemir added that “We came together and made a public statement so that not a single more person may lose his/her life, so that our country can realize economic and social development, so that we can solve all our problems through dialogue. Less than even 24 hours after this statement, this barbaric attack took place. 10 of my citizens, of my fellow citizens, of my people lost their lives. Some of our people are heavily injured. First and foremost, I am feeling and living the pain and suffering of our families deep in my heart. I extend my condolences to the families of the victims and sincerely wish urgent recovery for all the injured. This pain does not only belong to the injured or the families of the innocent victims, it is the pain of all the city. In fact, this pain should be shared by all Turkey, all the humanity; and we all must do what we have to as immediately as possible so that such pains will not be suffered again.”

Baydemir also added that there was nothing else to do other than holding onto prudence and steadiness, that whatever is required not to allow other citizens to experience such pains and sufferings again should be immediately done, and that regardless of its cost and difficulty, peace should not be forsaken, should not be renounced.

Baydemir reminded that the incident took place in one of the busiest districts of the city, frequented by many locals up until 12 am, and said that it was clear that the civilians were targeted during this incident. Baydemir emphasized that “The attack deliberately aimed to sabotage the will and demand for peace, this is also clear. We should really feel great pains for this. It is clear that this is a provocation which aims to take us back to the 1990s. What we should do is to express a common feeling towards this incident and to act collaboratively in order to undo this ugly game.”

In the afternoon, Baydemir left carnations to the location of the incident together with the inhabitants of the city and the Diyarbakir Democracy Platform representatives. During his visit, Baydemir said, “The eminent dynamics and the inhabitants of this city want peace and justice. The people of this city want tranquility and peace. Today, we are condemning the attack together with all the institutions in our city. The expectation of our people is that this incident should not be covered and that the ones who committed this crime should not be hidden. Today, we are here together to condemn the perpetrators in the name of public conscious and to undo this ugly game aiming at obstructing peace and fraternity. The black ribbon on my collar stands for protest. It is to condemn this event. It is an expression of our prudence. The white ribbon on my other collar represents peace and shows that we will never renounce it. ”

The citizens of Diyarbakir announced two-day mourning for the lives lost. They will also be wearing white and black ribbons for three days.

13.09.2006


Gelek sipas, hevalên min. Berxwedan û Serkeftin!

WHO'S INFLUENCING YOUR GOVERNMENT?

"The Matrix is a system, Neo. That system is our enemy. But when you're inside, you look around, what do you see? Businessmen, teachers, lawyers, carpenters. The very minds of the people we are trying to save. But until we do, these people are still a part of that system and that makes them our enemy. You have to understand, most of these people are not ready to be unplugged. And many of them are so inured, so hopelessly dependent on the system, that they will fight to protect it."
~ Morpheus, The Matrix.

There's another little node on the web of the Deep State in America, a peek of which can be found from an article carried on TDN the other day.

In that article, you can read how Soner Cagaptay is lending a hand to US interests in the region, by pointing out how Islamic Turkey has suddenly become since the AKP came to power. He's sounding the alarm bell as part of the orchestration that's going on to justify more of the same old US policy within that venerable fascist institution known commonly as Turkiye Cumhuriyeti (TC). The particular orchestration that's going on right now is in preparation for the TC's elections next year. It would certainly serve US interests to pull power away from AKP because that will pull Turkey away from Iran.

I don't really count Syria in that because everyone knows that Syria is merely a satellite of Iran.

However, let's leave aside old Soner for a few moments and take a look at the think-tank that he inhabits: the Washington Institute for Near East Policy (WINEP).

A short spin through one of our best friend's, Google, helps us out with an article from Le Monde Diplomatique, from 2003 and written by Joel Beinin. This article is primarily focused on the Israel/Palestine situation, but I want you to think "structure" as opposed to "substance" here, and if you do that, we can make some comparisons.

We might say that the thesis statement of the article is the one in bold print, right at the top:

The Washington Institute for Near East Policy influences the thinking of the United States government and has a near monopoly on the supply of ’expert’ witnesses to the media. After almost two decades of relative moderation, the institute is now drifting towards the Israeli right.

If the WINEP influences the thinking of the US government, and if it has a monopoly on experts to throw in front of the media, and it has been doing this for Israel, then what are we to make of the fact that Soner Cagaptay is listed as the Director, Turkish Research Program at WINEP's website? Look for yourself. There he is, and we learn that he's a Yale graduate, kind of like the entire Bush family.

Geez, what a coincidence! I wonder if they let him into Skull and Bones?

Take a quick look at the Board of Advisors and you'll see no less than four, count 'em, FOUR, former Secretaries of State, along with former Assistant Secretary of Defense, Richard Perle (ring a bell? Think: International Advisors). There's also some guy from the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS).

If we jump over to the CSIS website, we can check out their Board of Trustees and Counselors. They include William Cohen (of The Cohen Group), Henry Kissinger (needs no reminder), and Brent Scowcroft, among others. They're far too modest with Scowcroft's credentials, though. They left off "Chairman of the American Turkish Council," the same people involved with the FBI wiretaps that Sibel Edmonds blew the whistle on.

You should check out the corporations represented on the CSIS board also. I recognize at least one ATC Golden Horn member there, but then, CSIS is an ATC Aegean member anyway.

If you prefer, on WINEP's site, you can read Cagaptay's comments referenced in the TDN article--straight from the horse's mouth--or you can read much more of his propaganda at the Turkish Research Program page, just to get an idea of what ideas the US government is being told about the TC by WINEP. A personal favorite of mine is from December, 2005 and deals with all those evil PKK "fronts" in Europe . . . like my hevals at KurdishInfo, or those extremely violent boys and girls at TECAK, or all those Kurdish "terrorists" running Roj TV. How is Kongra-Gel a PKK "front" or "sympathizing organization" when it is, in fact, PKK?

For the TC, and the US, the definition of "terrorist" at work here is any Kurd who stands for his or her own justice and dignity. We can expect nothing more from Deep State propagandists like Soner Cagaptay, or their sponsoring organizations, like WINEP, except denial of the Turkish atrocities that have been so well documented by human rights organizations. The bottom line here is that WINEP, with the help of Soner Cagaptay, are taking the American people for a ride, and are totally misrepresenting the situation of the Kurdish people, a situation made atrocious by the fascist Ankara regime and defended by the likes of WINEP.

Are you ready to be unplugged?

KILL THE MESSENGER

"We will be watching you, we will be listening to you . . . "
~ Sibel Edmonds, Kill the Messenger.

Many thanks to Lukery at Wot Is It Good 4, who has been following the Sibel Edmonds' story, and who has dropped this information on me.

The video trailer for the documentary about Sibel Edmonds' attempting to blow the lid off the Turkish Deep State's connections in the US looks like it's going to be a good one. Take a look for yourself:

More information can be found at Sibel Edmonds' website, Justacitizen.com, including interviews with the directors, brochures in .pdf, a link to the video's blog--also by Lukery--a "Sibel Edmonds'State Secrets Case" quiz--written by Mike Mejia--and much more.

For a quick rundown on the whole story, with an explanation of the Deep State's web in America, review Mike Mejia's article, "The Secrets Behind 'State Secrets'".

I hope that they upload the entire documentary to Youtube or Google Video so that everyone can see it, and all those connected with the Turkish Deep State are finally ratted out for all the filth they've ever done in their miserable little lives.

The busting of this international terrorist gang will be the first step in the real war against the state-sponsors of terror.

Take the red pill. Go on . . . ya know ya wanna.


ONE OTHER ITEM of note: Mam Celal is in the US and as the president of Iraq, he's "representing free and democratic Iraq," with an address to the American people. Funny, he doesn't mention the protests by Kurds that have been brutally suppressed recently by his very own security forces. Now, why do you think that is?

If you want a more realistic perspective on the situation in South Kurdistan, I suggest you check out Dr. Hussein Tahiri's impression of his most recent visit, over at KurdishMedia. Dr. Tahiri's impressions and concerns are very close to my own, and I don't feel that whitewashing the situation, as good old Mam Celal does, is going to serve any purposes but those of the ruling elites.

As Dr. Tahiri notes, "Unfortunately, Kurdish leaders have always taken as their guide the leaderships in neighbouring countries," and that is what we see when the people's demands for justice are crushed and silenced by armed force.

Time to wake up, Kurdistan.

FESTIVALS, FASTS AND FALLING APART

Back in Alimlikoy, I asked the shepherd why he hadn't just agreed to become a guard. "Why would we?" he asked. "We have our fields and our animals. We have an income. Besides," he said with some emphasis, "why should we try to do a job that not even the state can accomplish?"
~ Kevin McKiernan, "Turkey's War."

A friend has pointed out that there are photos available to view at the Beytussebap website of this year's sheep-shearing festival. In the top left margin, click on "Foto Galeri" and then look for "Berxbir 2006." Then enjoy the photos from the zozans, but beware if you are the slightest bit homesick, these photos may exacerbate your condition. There are other great photos of the beautiful Beytussebap area, too. Gelek sipas, heval.

Our brothers and sisters in Limassol, Free Cyprus, held a hunger strike this weekend to protest the isolation conditions of Serok Apo and to protest the Turkish state's act of terrorism against the Kurdish people last week, in what is now being called the Amed Massacre.

Turkish-occupied Cyprus is an embarrassing contradiction for the TC, because here is the one place where the Ankara regime demands "separatism," "federalism," and "recognition of Turkish identity" for ethnic Turks, yet at the same time it denies these very things to ethnic Kurds in Turkish-occupied Kurdistan. Cyprus is a member of the EU, but EU-wannabe, Turkey, refuses to recognize it and continues to occupy it. Of course, that might be as much a spineless EU problem as it is a hypocritical Turkish problem. Actually, it's amazing that the spineless EU bothers to consider an aggressor against an EU country as a potential EU membership candidate.

I guess consistency is not a strong point for either Turkey or the EU.

There's another piece of news that I've held for a week because other news took priority, but since this last week has been something of a deja vu as regards NATO's Gladio operations, now may be the right time to point out this one, from the Guardian:

UK agents 'did have role in IRA bomb atrocities'

The controversy over claims that Britain allowed two IRA informers to organise 'human bomb' attacks intensified this weekend.

A human rights watchdog has handed a report to the Police Service of Northern Ireland, which concludes that two British agents were central to the bombings of three army border installations in 1990.

[ . . . ]

The 'human bomb' tactic involved forcing civilians to drive vehicles laden with explosives into army checkpoints and included deadly sorties near Newry and Coshquin outside Derry. Six British soldiers and a civilian worker at an army base died in the simultaneous blasts on either side of Northern Ireland.

British Irish Rights Watch said: 'This month BIRW sent a confidential report to the Historical Enquiries Team on the three incidents that occurred on 24th October 1990... at least two security force agents were involved in these bombings, and allegations have been made that the "human bomb" strategy was the brainchild of British intelligence.

[ . . . ]

The group has issued several detailed reports previously outlining cases of collusion between loyalist terrorists and the security forces. These include the Pat Finucane murder and the killing of Raymond McCord Jr by the Ulster Volunteer Force. In both cases, British Irish Rights Watch claim many of the loyalists involved in these murders were agents for the security forces - allegations that were later substantiated.

Wow! How familiar does that sound? I guess the British government decided to take some of that Gladio know-how and apply it to their Irish "problem." Not surprising, I suppose, considering that the "Stay Behind" idea originated in Britain. No wonder Britain has worked hand-in-glove with Turkey against Kurds; it's the result of a good-old-boy network. I wonder how many other bombings the British government committed and then pinned on the IRA?

The last item today is on the growing discontent with the Turkish military by the Turkish public, from Eurasianet:

"I will not say ’long live this country, ’"said Neriman Okay, the mother of an army lieutenant killed in action on September 1, as she stood over her son’s coffin, news outlets reported. "I didn’t bring my son up to be a soldier, and I do not accept his death. He died for nothing."

In many places, what Okay called her "rebellion" would barely raise an eyebrow. In Turkey, it has been front page news for over a week.

[ . . . ]

Much of the media coverage has tended to see Okay’s words as a protest against the government. That tendency has grown since Prime Minister Erdogan responded to criticisms of soldiers’ deaths by announcing that "military service is not a place where you just take it easy."

In a country with an 800,000-strong conscript army, some observers think the comment could spell the beginning of the end for Prime Minister Erdogan’s government. Yet, while Neriman Okay did target the premier, her criticisms went much further.

"Sending boys who have never shot a gun to fight terrorists who’ve been in the mountains for 20 years is pure stupidity," she told one newspaper after the funeral, describing her son’s inadequate training. "This should be a job for professionals."

Not surprising, that part about "inadequate training." That's what the TSK is known for, and that's why it prefers to lord it over unarmed Kurdish civilians and volunteer for "peacekeeping operations" in places where hostilities have virtually ended. Mehmetcik is basically cannon fodder that ensures the Deep State's interests. On the other hand, every Turk is born a soldier, as the Turkish educational system loves to point out:

Authorities have traditionally treated critics of military policies swiftly and harshly. A textbook read by all Turkish students suggests that a man who has not done his military service "cannot be useful to himself, his family, or his homeland." It’s a point of view backed by Turkish law, as novelist Perihan Magden discovered this July. Her article defending conscientious objection earned charges of "turning Turks against the military." She faced three years in jail, but was acquitted.

The article goes on to remark that it would be impossible to bring Neriman Okay to court for her public slight against the TSK, but that's not true. It would not be impossible to bring her to court, but it would extend the humiliation of the Ankara regime. Besides, they have other ways of dealing with problems like this.

Whoever reads the article in its entirety, should be aware of the almost impercetible racism of these lines: "Two hundred and fifty soldiers have died -- 27 in the last month alone -- since the PKK broke its unilateral ceasefire two years ago. Every death hardens the attitudes of the Turkish public."

What does the author think the Ankara regime's murders of 40,000 Kurds has done to the attitudes of the Kurdish public? But they never ask that question, do they?

LET THE COVER-UP BEGIN

"The murders and terrorist acts committed by the MHP were actions of the Special Warfare Department. Their purpose was to intimidate the opposition and prepare the conditions for a coup."
~ Serdar Celik, "Turkey's Killing Machine: The Contra-Guerrilla Force."

In the aftermath of the Turkish state's contra-guerrilla operation in Amed this week, some 200 intellectuals in Turkey are saying, "Enough is enough," in a call to PKK to lay down arms and end its legitimate struggle for Kurdish rights under Turkish occupation.

How does one determine when enough is enough? Apparently, all those murdered by the Turkish state during the Amed serhildan, which spread to other cities in "The Region," did not quite add up to "enough," because we heard no call at that time for an end to the violence. Nor did all of those murdered by the Turkish state during the first round of the Dirty War (between 1984 and 1999) constitute the proper critical mass to equal "enough," and that was some 40,000 Kurds murdered. Obviously, Turkish intellectuals have some secret formula by which they determine "enough is enough," a formula derived, no doubt, by virtue of the fact that the intellectuals are, well, intellectuals.

On the other hand, only one Turkish intellectual has ever had any criticism of Turkish atrocities against Kurds.

It's interesting to note that when PKK called a unilateral ceasefire which lasted from 1999 until 2004, these same intellectuals remained silent and completely inactive politically as regards the situation of Kurds under Turkish occupation. They had their ceasefire, handed to them by PKK, and yet they did absolutely nothing toward ensuring full equality of Kurds. Last August, after Erdogan came to Amed and mumbled something about Kurds, PKK called a one-month unilateral ceasefire in order to see if Erdogan would act on his words. As it turned out, Erdogan was full of nothing but hot air.

For intellectuals, especially Turkish intellectuals, talk is cheap, cheaper even than a Kurdish life.

Another point of interest is the timing of both the DTP call for PKK ceasefire, as well as the sudden clamor for the same from intellectuals. Both come well after PKK's declaration for a political solution, which was issued almost a month ago, on 20 August. In that time, neither DTP nor any Turkish intellectual has had any comment on any of PKK's points. The fact is that the timing of these calls for an end to the Kurdish people's legitimate struggle against fascism has nothing to do with PKK and everything to do with the upcoming elections.

The US and the pashas are renewing their contra-guerrilla operations in Turkish-occupied Kurdistan in order to pull some power from AKP. Both are hoping that a de facto state of emergency with accompanying "psychological operations" will divide the Turkish electorate, thus helping to pull power from the unreliable AKP. AKP knows this, hence the sudden desire for "peace" by Turkish intellectuals. The Americans, however, want Turkish domestic instability so that the close relationship that the Ankara regime has forged with Iran will be reduced, and compliance with US interests increased.

Already, the Amed massacre is in the process of being covered up, just as so many other crimes against Kurds have been covered up by the Turkish state. Remember Semdinli? The residents of Semdinli found evidence in the attackers' vehicle, a vehicle which was registered with JIT, the Jandarma Intelligence organization, and news of that evidence made its way out of Turkish-occupied Kurdistan. All of that evidence, plus the capture of the attackers themselves by the residents, proved that the state was behind the bombing, yet a full disclosure of the state's complicity has never been made public.

If the residents had not captured the Semdinli evidence, the state would have blamed that bombing on the PKK, as some of the Turkish media tried to do and as the parliamentary commission on Semdinli tried to do. However, the history of "The Region," and the Turkish state's continued attempts to genocide the Kurdish people is long and hard.

Since security forces form a big part of the Deep State, they are in the perfect position to be able to recreate a bombings to fit their purposes. After all, these are the same people who have always dressed like gerîlas and committed their atrocities with impunity throughout both North and South Kurdistan--something the Americans trained them to do. In addition, it's well-known that Turkish security forces tend to "lose" evidence, or simply make up, evidence. In other words, the state has no credibility.

This time, however, the cover-up of the state's contra-guerrilla operations has an unusual twist: security forces in Amed were alleged to have been given "extraordinary powers" to invade homes and search for the perpetrators of the bombing without having to bother with search warrants. This is a joke on two counts. First, these occupation forces don't need any kind of paperwork, including search warrants, to do anything against Kurds. Secondly, did we hear any news of security forces being granted so-called extraordinary powers to investigate any one of the bombings which TAK openly claimed as its own?

In another move towards cover-up, TIT's website was already pulled from the Internet, but not before the photos and information on their bomb which they posted was "captured" by DozaMe, and republished on KurdishInfo.

Of course, there's really no need for any investigation because Turkish security forces already know well who committed the Amed massacre. It was they, themselves.

In the meantime, Our People's Hope continue their operations against the occupation forces.

ADVERTISEMENTS, BETRAYALS, AND KURDS

“Betrayal is the only truth that sticks.”
~ Arthur Miller, American playwright.

Well, well, well . . . it looks like those on the American Right are a little uptight with Arianna Huffington's reply of "So what?" to FOX's Bill O'Reilly's assertion that Saddam persecuted Kurds.

Here's her quote:

So what? Our job is not to go there and save the Kurds. Our job to keep Americans safe.

Read more here.

I don't quite understand why the Right is worked up about this, because Huffington's attitude is typical of the American attitude toward Kurds and typical of the American attitude toward Americans. All right, I lied. I understand very well what the American Right is so worked up about, and it sure as hell has less to do with Kurds than it does with a big Republican win in the midterm elections or defense of Bush as Bush.

O'Reilly even managed to run one of the KDC's advertisements so that Huffington could see happy Kurds thanking America. It made no difference to Huffington that the Başûrî truly have been overjoyed at the fall of Saddam, and that is one of the problems of the commercials; it's a general "Thank You," and not specific. In other words, the commercials are propaganda in that they do not tell the whole story of America's betrayal of the Kurdish people.

After all, where were the Americans in 1988, when the Anfal campaign was in full swing? Do some time travel back to 1975, and find out where the Americans were for the Algiers Agreement. Where was America when its Secretary of State said, "Covert action should not be confused with missionary work," as America sold out the Kurds to Saddam and the Shah? Where was America when Stephen Pelletiere and the Army War College were placing the blame for the chemical attacks against Helebçe and the surrounding area on the Iranians, in order to cover for the American ally, Saddam?

Where was America during the serhildan in Syrian-occupied Kurdistan, in March, 2004, or where was America during the serhildan in Iranian-occupied Kurdistan last July and August?

Where were the Americans for decades, as America's Other Ally, Turkey, used American weapons' systems to brutalize the Kurds under Turkish occupation? Doubters should check the US Department of State's own human rights reports--as sorry and lame as they are--from 1995 to today. When you finish go research everything that Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have on the subject. Then research the findings from the ECHR--always too little, too late where Turkish atrocities are concerned--on the volumes of findings that court has leveled against America's ally because of its racist brutality against Kurds.

Where is America, at this moment, regarding the Kurds under Turkish occupation?

Why, America is sitting with the pashas, directing them in their new campaign of genocide. America is reestablishing it's Gladio operations in Turkey. America is an accessory to the crime of the continued brutality of the Kurdish people, including Tuesday's murder of Kurds in Amed.

But it's all done to keep Americans safe! Search in vain, for you will find none of this on any nightly newscast, and certainly not on FOX . . . unless, of course the Bush Administration needs a little help for the war effort, or the Democrats want to find and exploit a crack in the Republican facade.

Let's not BS around with this. Nowhere, on the American political spectrum, is there anyone who is innocent. Both Democrats and Republicans are guilty in this regard, and do you know why that is, dear Rastî reader? There is no serious political debate whatsoever in the United States, no serious dialog, no discourse. There is nothing whatsoever, not even from those vastly overrated intellectuals ensconced securely in their shining, white, Ivory Towers, where they are snugly protected from any contact with the reality of their own people, much less with the reality on the ground of the Kurdish people.

Where the KDC's advertisements went wrong was that they didn't really explain anything about Kurdistan Başûr and it certainly did not explain anything about America's betrayals of Kurds for the sake of "keep[ing] Americans safe." Nor is there any American support for democratic Kurdish movements, even in Başûr. Those few who know about the recent uprisings against the KRG because of corruption and lack of services and jobs only find them utilitarian for their political purposes. They don't really give a damn about Kurds living or dying . . . just like old Arianna Huffington.

It should be abundantly clear that the situation of Kurds will not be improved by hoping in America or anyone else. The only hope of Kurds can only come from Kurds.

REVENGE, RESURGENCE, AND RESISTANCE

"You had to attack civilians, the people, women, children, innocent people, unknown people far removed from any political game. The reason was quite simple: to force ... the public to turn to the state to ask for greater security."
~ quoted by Chris Floyd in "Global Eye: Sword Play," The Moscow Times.

The Turkish Revenge Brigade (Turk Intikam Tugayi--TIT) has claimed responisbility for the Amed bombing, as first reported by KurdishInfo. DozaMe has some great information on this news, including photos of the bomb used, provided by TIT on its website.

TIT is a branch of the Gray Wolves (MHP and Ulkucu Hareket) that was founded in 1969 at that premier institution, the School of Political Science at Ankara University. TIT has been involved in a lot of the deep shit of the Deep State, and they seem to specialize in assassinations. They were involved with the murder of the Turkish Cypriot journalist, Kutlu Adali, back in 1996:

The Cyprus Union of Journalists has protested to international unions of journalists about the cruelty of the Denktash regime in the Turkish-occupied northern part of the island, to bar a Union delegation to attend yesterday the funeral of murdered prominent Turkish Cypriot columnist, Kutlu Adali.

[ . . . ]

A group calling itself ''Turkish Revenge Brigade'' (TIT), an underground terrorist organisation of Turkey's right-wing fascist Grey Wolves group, claimed responsibility for the murder.

Adali was well known for his harsh criticism against the pseudo-state and its policy of implanting Turkish settlers in the occupied areas following the Turkish invasion of 1974 and occupation of 37 per cent of the island's territory.

Given what Adali was against, it's no wonder TIT iced him. Adali's wife later brought charges against the TC at the ECHR. One of the facts she submitted to the court includes the following:

200. On 8 July 1996 the pro-“TRNC” government newspaper Kıbrıs had reported that it had received a statement from a fascist group calling itself the Turkish Revenge Brigade claiming that they had killed Kutlu Adalı. This group was linked to the so-called “Grey Wolves”, the youth movement of the Turkish Nationalist Action Party. They had close and long-standing links with members of the Turkish armed forces, the Turkish police, the Turkish National Intelligence Service (“MIT”), the Turkish paramilitary apparatus, Turkish ministers, and the Turkish mafia. Moreover, two days after the killing of Mr Adalı, the applicant's family had received a telephone call from an anonymous person who had given the names of Mr Hüseyin Demirci and a man whose first name was Orhan, who she said were responsible for the murder. The applicant had discovered that Mr Demirci was a member of the “Grey Wolves” and of the CDO and that he was being paid by the security forces. Orhan was a colonel in the Turkish occupying forces. The applicant had given this information to the police, but they had failed to investigate properly. Despite her complaints to the police and the security forces, no steps had been taken to bring the perpetrators to justice.

That is taken from the judgement of the Strassbourg court on 31 March, 2005. Not only is the judgement an excellent read to get an idea of how these Gray Wolf organizations operate, but it also gives a feel for the whole idea of the occupation of Cyprus. We might as well consider it another good lesson on the brutality of the fascist Ankara regime, and of all those so-called civilized nations, like the US and Europe, who have forever supported this occupation. But then, it was "their boys" that did it, right?

TIT was also responsible for the attempted assassination against IHD's chairman, Akin Birdal, in 1998, from Amesty International:

However, in the immediate aftermath of the attempted murder the then Prime Minister claimed that the shooting was an ''internal settling of accounts'', linking the HRA to the PKK. In fact, investigations led to the indictment of members from an ultra-nationalist group, the ''Turkish Revenge Brigade'' (TIT), including a retired army officer and a serving gendarmerie officer. On 29 December 1999 nine men were sentenced to prison terms from one to 19 years in relation with this crime.

Now, this attempted assassination occured in Ankara and was widely condemned by the international community, thus the TC had to do something to save its image abroad. Kutlu Adali should have been so lucky to be murdered by TIT in Ankara. Of course, the TC and it's lapdog media set up the assassination attempt of Birdal by creating a media frenzy, from Info-Turk.be:

The would-be assassins who gunned down Turkey ís top human rights activist got their training, in secret, from a non-commissioned officer with neo-fascist sympathies serving with a top anti-terrorist intelligence unit.

[ . . . ]

Deretarla, just 17 years old, has told police that he was trained for the attack in a secret woodland camp north of Istanbul. His trainer was one Cengiz Ersever, a non-commissioned officer serving with the countryís paramilitary gendarmes.

[ . . . ]

According to the gunmenís own testimony, as widely reported here, he was targeted after the media printed the leaked testimony of former Kurdish guerrilla commander Semdin Sakik, who was snatched by a Turkish special forces unit earlier this year.

In a wide ranging series of allegations attributed to Sakik - some of which he has since denied - a long list of critics of the government and military were "named" as "Kurdish agents" and supporters of the Kurdistan Workersí Party (PKK) guerrilla force.

According to the alleged testimony of Sakik, PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan was supposed to have said that while Birdal "is not affiliated to the PKK, he is more PKK than anybody else in the organization".

Without Birdal, Ocalan allegedly said, the PKK "would not be able to establish the present influence we have in Europe".

The unsubstantiated claims, quickly denied by Birdal, gave a green light to Ersever, Deretarla and Eken, who had formed a covert death squad specifically to target such "enemies of the state."

"We decided to kill Akin Birdal when we read Sakik's testimonies in the dailies," the gunmen are said to have told the police.

According to evidence presented to the courts here, Ersever signed the two up alongside 15 others to form a death squad code-named the Turkish Revenge Brigade. All were members of the neo-fascist Nationalist Action Party (MHP) whose youth wing, the Gray Wolves, have been implicated in the murders of thousands of dissidents over the last three decades.

"I have scores of others in my list. Those who are the enemies of the Turkish military and the police are also my enemies," Ersever reportedly told police interrogators. The original Turkish Revenge Brigades killed dozens of left-wingers during the civil strife of the late 1970s. One brigade member, Mehmet Ali Agca, later tried to kill the Pope.

Remarkably, Ersever's name has come up before in similar contexts.

He was recently named by witnesses testifying at a parliamentary commission investigating the so-called Susurluk Affair.

The Turkish prime minister at the time, Mesut Yilmaz, clearly lied about the assassination attempt being an"internal settling of accounts" between PKK and IHD, when it was, in fact, a Deep State operation that he was trying to cover up. TIT was allegedly broken up in the wake of the trial of those guilty of the attempted assassination of Birdal, but as we have seen this week in Amed, the break-up never really happened.

TIT began to resurface again In 2005, when it sent death threats to Eren Keskin, and other leaders of IHD, according to Human Rights Watch. The same letter also notes other victims of TIT.

The big question is why is the Dirty War being renewed now?

The AKP has proven itself unreliable as far as US interests go, and has pulled the TC back from both the US and the EU, while cultivating Iran. The US would like to see a destabilization of the TC's domestic political situation in order to make it more dependent, and therefore more controllable, in preparation for America's dealings with Iran. The pashas are willing partners in this endeavor because their hands will remain firmly on all the levers of power.

Since Turkish national elections will take place next year, America's window of opportunity is open, with the engineers of the 1980 coup willing to subvert political mechanisms in order to avoid the image problems associated with military coups. The new anti-terror law is one example of this; the elections will be another. By avoiding the coup image problem, the invertebrates in the EU will be able to stand by idle, something that they do best.

In the meantime, the Kurdish people remain the unwilling sacrificial lambs to be forcibly offered on the altar of joint American-Turkish interests. Instead of "winning the hearts and minds" of the Kurds by genuine and concrete steps to ensure their full equality within the TC, both the US and TC are relying on their old, established methods of Gladio's heyday.

Hurriyet is carrying Joe Ralston's ironic reaction to the Amed bombing:

General Ralston for his part spoke yesterday about the large exposion Tuesday evening in Diyarbakir, promising to relay to President Bush details from the incident in Turkey's predominently Kurdish southeastern city. Ralston also promised that concrete steps would be taken in the US-Turkish anti-PKK coordination efforts, saying "The Turkish public will see some real advances."

All you have to say, Joe, is: "Our boys did it!"

Perhaps now is a good time for HPG to consider their own destabilization operations . . . in Turkish-occupied Cyprus. Such a move will suck away more resources from the fascist Ankara regime, helping to spin the whole game out of everyone's control and forcing them to the negotiation table.

UPDATE ON AMED

"Our boys have done it!"
~ Paul Henze, CIA's Ankara Station Chief, 1980.

Overnight, the death toll from Turkey's latest attack in Amed (Diyarbakir) has risen to 11. Meanwhile, the hevals at KurdishInfo are carrying several items of interest regarding the Ankara regime's most recent murder of Kurds in Amed.

Of particular interest is Kongra-Gel's statement on the attack, which notes the significance of the date, 12 September. Last night, I mentioned that it was no coincidence that the US "PKK Coordinator," Joe Ralston arrived in Ankara on the 12th, but as Kongra-Gel correctly notes, 12 September is the anniversary of the US-backed 1980 coup. From Wikipedia:

The US-support of this coup was acknowledged by the CIA Ankara station chief Paul Henze. After the government was overthrown, Henze cabled Washington, saying, "our boys have done it."

"Our boys" refers to the Turkish National Security Council (MGK), in other words, it refers to the pashas. For more on Paul Henze, check this interesting read from an Ethiopian perspective.

President Carter was also well-aware of what was going on with the American operations, from an article in Kurdistan Report:

Carter, who was at the opera when he heard about the coup, called Paul Henze, the CIA agent responsible for Turkey, and told him: " Your people have just made a coup".

Both the Wikipedia link and the Kurdistan Report link give information on the MHP's involvement with Gladio, and how these organizations created the period of chaos prior to the coup, which provided the justification of the coup. All of the chaos leading up to the coup was instigated by the US, with the help of "their boys."

Interestingly enough, Bianet has a recent report on the fact that the mechanisms of the 1980 coup remain intact, with the perpetrators never brought to justice for their crimes. The recently passed new anti-terror law is but one example of the continuing influence of the monsters of 1980 exerting their influence today. Semdinli is another example. Yesterday's bombing in Amed is another.

KurdishInfo has another article on the bombing, with a statement from Amed's mayor, Osman Baydemir, as well as some infomation on the increase in the numbers of JITEM in Amed:

Baglar municipal is the poorest in Diyarbakir. Diyarbakir is the lagest Kurdish city in Turkey. It comprises mainly of forcibly displaced people due to the terror of Turkish military forces from the region. For this reason for the incident to take place at Baglar and after a call for peace does create intrigue as to who is behind the incident. A short period before the incident former members of JITEM was called to Diyarbakir.

A separate building by the 7th Army Corps Commandship was allocated 3 weeks ago to educate JITEM and confessors on operational and intelligence matters.

In a third article, the people of Amed have taken to the streets against the regime, while Special Teams and snipers take up their positions around the city. No doubt the Ankara regime's murderers are setting their sites on more Kurdish children, and using their own attack against the Kurdish people as a pretext to invade the homes of the poor, as reported by Reuters.

It's time now to end all cooperation with the Americans, throughout Greater Kurdistan, and throughout the Diaspora.

TURKISH STATE BOMBS AMED

Article 7: Nothing in this Definition, and in particular article 3, could in any way prejudice the right to self-determination, freedom and independence, as derived from the Charter, of peoples forcibly deprived of that right [ . . . ] particularly peoples under colonial and racist regimes or other forms of alien domination: nor the right of these peoples to struggle to that end and to seek and receive support, in accordance with the principles of the Charter and in conformity with the above-mentioned Declaration.
~ United Nations General Assembly Resolution 3314 (XXIX). Definition of Aggression

A bombing in Amed has killed at least seven people (some reports indicate eight dead), and wounded 17. Five of the dead are children, from the AP, carried on the Globe and Mail:

A bomb struck a predominantly Kurdish city in southeastern Turkey on Tuesday, killing seven people and wounding 17, the local governor's office said.

Authorities said the bomb in the city of Diyarbakir was made from powerful explosives and was set off by a cell phone timer. Although nobody claimed responsibility, the blast occurred in a region where Kurdish separatist rebels are known to be active.

The explosion happened around 9 p.m. and an investigation had begun, according to a statement from the provincial governor's office, which gave the casualty toll.

The deputy governor of the surrounding Diyarbakir province, Ahmet Aydin, said children were among those killed and two of the injured were in serious condition at a local hospital. Local news stations said five of the seven killed were children.

A Kurdish news agency reported that the blast took place near an elementary school. Witnesses said the blast threw body parts over a wide area and left pools of blood from the killed and injured.

Diyarbakir is Turkey's largest Kurdish-majority city, and the blast came as Kurdish rebels fighting for autonomy in the region have stepped up their attacks.

Britain's Independent is among those reporting eight dead.


Just as the Çatak bombing last week, so this bombing is manufactured to appear like a TAK bombing. But just as I mentioned last week, TAK does not operate in Turkish-occupied Kurdistan. HPG does operate in Turkish-occupied Kurdistan, but doesn't do this kind of operation. Additionally, no one claimed responsibility for the Çatak bombing, but HPG regularly publishes the results of its operations and TAK claims their own operations. JITEM, however, is always reluctant to claim any operations. It would disturb the facade of Turkish democracy.

With the mention of JITEM, we are reminded that the Turkish government is the only organization that operates in Turkish-occupied Kurdistan and carries out just this kind of operation. Remember Semdinli? Who is it that murders Kurdish children in Amed? Remember Enes Ata? As Enes Ata's father, Selamettin Ata stated in a Guardian article earlier this year, at least 90% of the city sympathizes with the PKK.

Amed is PKK's city.

It is no coincidence that this most recent attack against the Kurdish people happened on the same day that "special envoy" Joseph Ralston arrived in Ankara. The US is backing Turkey in its renewal of the Dirty War, and the bombing in Amed is one more sign that "psychological operations," a special kind of warfare for which the US trained Turkish security forces, are being resurrected.. Gladio will still be useful to both the US and Turkey, because the Gladio structure is necessary for the fascists to maintain power. American-inspired disappearances, extrajudicial murders, ethnic cleansing, illegal detentions, and torture will be renewed very soon, most likely at the same scale they were at the height of the Dirty War. The impunity enjoyed by Turkish security forces and police will continue, as always.

After all, who is it that runs secret prisons around the world, and who is it that permits the transport aircraft to land within their "territorial integrity?" Check Amnesty International for more. Notice how many of those flights landed in Diyarbakir.

DTP's call for PKK to begin a ceasefire, therefore, comes at the wrong time. DTP should have supported PKK's offer at the end of August, and should have pressed the issue in the media. Their call is too little, too late. Besides, there is no point in any more unilateral ceasefires, not when the last one (the five-year freebie) gained nothing for Kurds but dead gerîlas. Turkish fascism does not need PKK to exist and increase; it only needs the Turkish government to do that. Proof? Turkish fascism began in 1923, long before there was any PKK.

To the courageous people of Amed: Berxwedan û Serkeftin!

You know how to do it.

SOWING LIES, REAPING CONFUSION

“It is easier to believe a lie that one has heard a thousand times than to believe a fact that no one has heard before”
~ Anonymous.

I was talking to a friend the other night, and he said to me that the end of the ceasefire and the renewal of clashes in Turkish-occupied Kurdistan had come as a shock to the Turkish people. They believed their government, and the government-controlled media, that told them the Kurdish freedom movement died with the capture of Apo, and when the unilateral ceasefire began, lasting for five years, they mistook it for The End, for peace.

My friend is right.

Now, the Turkish people are angry and confused because they were lied to by their government; they have no idea why their children are dying. The Turkish people have no idea of the atrocities committed by their government against the Kurdish people. In this respect, their government lies to them by omission. This ignorance of the reasons why one fights is something that doesn't affect Kurds, because Kurds know why they fight. Kurdish gerîlas know very well why they fight. Kurdish parents know very well what their children fight for.

It would seem that Mr. Erdogan doesn't get it. Last week, Erdogan told a crowd in Balikesir that military service was not a time to relax, that it was dangerous and was no vacation. Strangely enough, a vacation in Turkey is dangerous too, but I suppose the irony of this is lost on someone as dense as Erdogan.

Later, in an opinion piece on TDN, criticized the fact that no child of the Turkish elites has ever done military service in "The Region," even though all are required to do military service. This is true. Those who end up on the wrong end of an HPG weapon are never from the elites, but are always from those who don't have the money or the influence to avoid serving as occupation troops in North Kurdistan.

By Friday, those attending a funeral of a dead Mehmetcik protested in Bergama, indicating that they had caught on to this discrepancy between the privileged and the ordinary people. They began to call for Erdogan to send his own son to "The Region," and what an honor it would truly be for the religious prime minister to have a martyr for a son. Still, fat chance that such a thing will happen. Meanwhile, it looks like ordinary Turks are less and less willing to send their children to Lebanon, even though pundits like Ilnur Cevik believe Lebanon will be much safer than Turkish-occupied Kurdistan.

On that, I'll agree with Ilnur, for a change, even while I wonder if his son served in the occupied territory.

The truly unfortunate thing is that all of this could end in a matter of days if the Ankara regime were willing to meet the conditions set forth by Koma Komalên Kurdistan at the end of August. It could end in a matter of days if the racist Ankara regime were willing to engage the Kurdish people with the justice that is due them by virtue of their humanity.

Sadly, it appears that the stench of Turkish dead has not reached the elites yet, even while the ordinary Turk is reeling from it. Instead, the regime cries to the US for help in coordinating a war that has a very cheap price fo those elites. After all, it's only the unprivileged of Turkish society that pay for the stupidity and pig-headedness of their own rulers.

On the other hand, the ruling elite doesn't even treat the Turkish people with the justice that is due them by virtue of their humanity.

In spite of all this, no one should expect that the Kurdish people must remain passive for the sake of the stupidity and pig-headedness of the Ankara regime. Like every other people on earth, the Kurdish people have the obligation to defend themselves from vicious aggressors.

The truth of the matter is that, in a just world, these elites would not only be concerned with saving their children from death as part of a brutal, military occupation force, but they would also be worried about saving their own necks from the wrath of the Turkish people.

NEWS THAT'S NOT FIT TO PRINT IN AMERICA

“The American people deserve to know that they're not just watching the administration's spin on their local newscasts -- they're paying for it, too.”
~ John Kerry.

A friend sent me an interesting piece of news from Turkish media. Apparently, in October, 2005, Marc Grossman went on board with Turkey's Ihlas Holding as a consultant. The announcement came after a meeting with Ihlas' CEO, Ahmet Mucahid Oren. There's another notice from the Ihlas Holding site itself, which is kind of nice because it's got a picture of Grossman and Oren sitting together, possibly discussing globalism and how Grossman's going to spin the propaganda for Ihlas' media empire.

What, exactly, is Ihlas Holding? It got its start in the newspaper publishing business in 1970, and is still active in media, but it has since expanded into other areas, including marketing, construction, health care, education, insurance, and real estate investment. Ihlas recently sold its TGRT television to Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation, and Atlantic Records. There's more basic info on Ihlas at Google Finance.

The odd thing is that when I checked around for this news in English, I couldn't find a thing about it. Not a single, English word on it. Why is that? What are they trying to hide?

I wonder about it because you would think that becoming a consultant for one of Turkey's largest business concerns would be something for Grossman to crow about, especially given that he's a vice-chairman of The Cohen Group, which is nothing but a bunch of former generals, diplomats, and assorted bureaucrats who advise businesses in the global market and fix problems for them. . . kind of like an American version of ASAM (see yesterday's post for more on ASAM).

After all, The Cohen Group's chairman and CEO, former Defense Secretary William Cohen, took the time to publicly acknowledge his other vice-chairman's appointment as the US "special envoy" to advise Turkey on the PKK. Yeah, I'm talking about Joe Ralston. In fact, this is what Cohen had to say about Ralston's appointment, from TDN:

"I am pleased that General Ralston has been selected for this assignment that is very important to our nation as well as to the stability of Turkey, Iraq and the region," Cohen said

But Grossman never got the same public pat-on-the-back from the boss over his job with Ihlas. Isn't this another feather in his cap? Isn't this another illustrious notation on his resume? He's not even blowing his own horn about it.

With the size and scope of Ihlas Holding, I suppose Grossman's monthly $100,000 salary is small change, and if you take a look at that link, you'll see I'm not the only one who has noticed The Cohen Group's close ties to Turkey. However, that article does mention a few other details, such as JINSA honors bestowed on General Cevik Bir and General Ilker Basbug, who recently took over Yasar Buyukanit's old digs as Land Forces Commander.

Also mentioned is the interesting connection with Fethullah Gulen. It says that the Gulen Gang and the Ihlas Gang have close, insider connections. This would mean that Grossman, as a consultant to Ihlas, and a vice-chairman of The Cohen Group, is that much closer to Gulen and his Nurcular. If you don't know about the Nurcular, there's an excellent little backgrounder on Gulen and his gang here, by Aland Mizell.

From Mizell's article, Gulen operates way behind the scenes, something that he began at least as far back as Turgut Ozal's time. Ozal, the guy who negotiated the Turkish-Islamic synthesis with the Turkish general staff, was a member of Gulen's Gang. You might ask, why would the official gatekeepers charged with maintaining the purity of Kemalism go along with the creation of this synthesis? Simple. They thought they could control it, kind of like they thought they could control their creation of Turkish Hezbollah. Their attitude is that if there will be communism in Turkey, they will bring the communism. Ditto on Islamism. When it became clear that Gulen was intent on taking control of the state from the Turkish general staff, the pashas were willing to do whatever was necessary to maintain their power.

With that, Gulen high-tailed it to the US, where he sits now, in control of the same network that spreads the same ideology that has turned Turkey into a highly anti-American place (as well as highly anti-semitic). Let's not forget that Gulen's network is worldwide. Given the connections that we are digging up on the Deep State in America, it is no longer so surprising to see Gulen safe and sound under the sheltering wing of his American protectors.

Isn't it fascinating about all the good dirt that never makes it into the American media? Again, why is that?

I wonder what Sibel Edmonds would say?

ANOTHER NODE ON THE WEB

Delbert McClintock: There ain't no spiders here.
Collins: Look! There's a giant spider web over there in the corner.
Delbert McClintock: Well yes, a spider web would reveal an arachnid presence.
~ Arachnophobia (1990)

Earlier in the week, the Turkish media rumor mill suggested that Edip Baser would be named as Ralston's Turkish counterpart in the continuing genocide against the Kurdish people under Turkish occupation, as can be seen from an article at TNA. There is a bit of a bio on Baser at that TNA link. Apparently, from the year 2000 until his retirement in 2002, Baser was busy murdering Kurds as the commander of the Turkish 2nd Army, based in Malatya. The appointment is confirmed by the Islamist Yeni Safak.

Perhaps not so coincidentally, Baser has already worked closely with Ralston, when both were members of their respective chiefs of staff. In February, 2000, then Deputy Chief of Turkish General Staff Baser went to Washington as the guest of then Deputy Chief of American General Staff Ralston. The discussions at the time centered on the sale of US arms to Turkey in light of the fact that there had been "significant improvements in the field of human rights in Turkey,"--a fact that existed only in the fantasies of the Ankara and Washington fascists.

In April, 2000, Baser was an invited guest of JINSA. In pointing out the close military cooperation between the two fascist regimes, Baser mentioned Turkey's cooperation in Operation Northern Watch (ONW), conveniently omitting the fact that, while US forces were ostensibly protecting Başûrî Kurds, US sorties were called off whenever the Turkish general staff took a whimsy to drop a load of American-purchased ordnance on the same Kurds. Baser also references the non-existent "dramatic improvement in Turkey's human rights record."

Meanwhile, the Human Rights Watch report on Turkey in the year 2000 was somewhat less enthusiastic than General Baser on Turkey's "improvements" in the human rights arena:

The Turkish government made almost no progress on key human rights reforms in 2000, and failed to take advantage of the opportunity presented by a marked reduction in armed violence by illegal organizations. This was in spite of the strong incentive coming from the European Union, which offered long-awaited recognition to Turkey as a candidate for membership, subject to its meeting human rights conditions. While the government procrastinated, politicians and writers were prosecuted and imprisoned for expressing their nonviolent opinions, and detainees in police custody remained at risk of ill-treatment, torture, or death in custody.

[ . . . ]

The military, still an overriding force in politics, was a factor in holding back change, particularly with regard to freedom of expression. The army publicly aired its views on a wide range of non-military issues, including the selection of presidential candidates, and justified these intrusions by reference to its purported role as guardian of the republic against separatism and religious fundamentalism.

[ . . . ]

In December 1999 Turkey was finally recognized as an E.U. candidate, but the opening of formal negotiations was conditional on satisfaction of human rights criteria. Apparently inspired by this, an excellent program of urgent reforms was announced in January by the then State Minister with Responsibility for Human Rights Mehmet Ali Irtemcelik, but little of the program was actually implemented.

More of the same is available from the Federation of American Scientists.

In November, 2005, the Centre for European Security Studies (CESS) completed a project to identify the appropriate role of the Turkish military within a democracy in order to assist Turkey vis-a-vis the Copenhagen Criteria. This project was undertaken in conjunction with the Centre for Eurasian Strategic Studies (ASAM), but the outcome of the project, which can be read here, was not acceptable to ASAM. Baser was a member of the CESS task force on the ASAM side because Baser is a member of the ASAM executive board.

Although the CESS report is extremely pro-Turkish and denies the existence of Kurds under Turkish occupation, which means that there is no mention of the Ankara regime's atrocities against the Kurdish people in the entire report, still the mere suggestion that in order for Turkey to become a democracy, it must subjugate its military to civilian authority, was too much for extremists like Baser and ASAM. Further reading on this matter can be found at the TDN archive from September, 2004.

In fact, ASAM began it's propaganda through the Turkish media immediately upon its withdrawal, as reported by a CESS newsletter, pages 1 and 7.

ASAM is an interesting organization in itself. It's run by retired pashas and diplomats who tend to be highly nationalistic and isolationist. ASAM is also funded by Ulker, and when you think "Ulker," you shouldn't think "cookies," you should think "Green Money" . . . as in Islamist money. Take a look at something that Michael Rubin wrote last year on Green Money:

Erdoğan has been silent on the issue, perhaps because he is heavily invested in green money business. In August 2001, Rahmi Koç, chairman of Koç Holding, Turkey's largest and oldest conglomerate,[27] commented on CNN Türk that Erdoğan has a US$1 billion fortune and asked the source of his wealth.[28] According to Sedat Ergin, Ankara bureau chief for Hürriyet, Erdoğan holds substantial financial stakes in three different firms,[29] which both Turkish military and intelligence officers and, according to numerous interviews, the man-on-the-street as well, believe subsidize Islamist politics. The Erdoğan family controls approximately 50 percent of Emniyet Foods,[30] the distributor for Ülker, Turkey's leading confectionary company. Recep Erdoğan is a shareholder in Ihsan Foods, which distributes Ülker's dairy products and owns a 12 percent stake in Yenidoğan Foods Marketing, which distributes Ülker soft drinks. According to numerous Turkish diplomats and officers in the Turkish General Staff, the Turkish military refuses to buy Ülker products for its conscripts so as not to subsidize Islamism.[31] Nevertheless, since Erdoğan's accession, Ülker has become increasingly visible, perhaps as businesses seek the prime minister's favor. Across Istanbul and Ankara, Ülker's ColaTurka has begun to replace Coca-Cola in kiosks and store shelves.

It's absurd to imagine that the Turkish general staff, TSK officers or Turkish diplomats would refuse to buy Ulker products, especially since their think-tank, ASAM, is financed by Ulker. It is no inconsistency that we see Islamists making common cause with former pashas and former diplomats, not since the 1980's anyway, and the creation of the Turkish-Islamic synthesis. What's more, at the murky point where the synthesis takes place, you will also find the Deep State, and we know that Ralston has his place in one of those nodes on the web that is the Deep State, right alongside a number of other arachnids.

But, more on that . . . later.


BY THE WAY . . . since I am a firm believer in freedom of speech, I would like to point out a recent comment that was posted here, because it would be a shame to miss it. The comment in question is as follows:

Anonymous said...

When will you inferior kurds stop the terrorism? Turkish government nneds to follow saddam's way and use chemical weapons to end this kurdish "disease". I cannot see any other way out of this kurdish problem

You see, even when people speak of their desire for the genocide of "inferior" Kurds (the Turkish version of The Final Solution), I let them to speak their piece.

The person who posted this comment must be one of those democratic, American Turks, who's posting from Rice University in Houston, Texas, IP 128.42.70.# (Rice University), domain name, rice.edu, posted on 7 September. Rice University is the home of the James A. Baker III Institute for Public Policy. Kurds will remember James Baker as the Secretary of State under Bush v.1, whose footdragging over Kurdish refugees prolonged their misery for weeks. . . until Peter Galbraith managed to drag Baker's ass, by helicopter, to one of the refugee "camps" in Turkish-occupied Kurdistan to see the disaster for himself.

That's how Baker seriously got the message about how uptight the Turkish general staff was over a million more "inferior" Kurds inside "their" border.

But, I digress. The best thing about this comment is that when I speak of the genocide of the Kurdish people, smartasses like this prove me right.

Sağol, arkadaşım. Go Owls!

NATIONAL FLAGS, ANTHEMS, AND GENOCIDE

"Fear an ignorant man more than a lion. "
~ Kurdish proverb.

I feel the need to opine about all this hullaballoo about the Kurdistan flag.

It seems that the fiasco began back on the first of September, when Masûd Barzanî ordered the removal of the Iraqi national flag from Kurdistan government buildings, to be replaced by the Kurdistan flag. Since then, everyone's been getting into the act, Arabs, Turks, Americans, to criticize the flying of the flag of Kurdistan.

Leave it to a bunch of ignoramuses.

If anyone had actually bothered to travel to South Kurdistan (that's the part of Kurdistan that ignoramuses habitually refer to as "Iraqi" Kurdistan or, as I prefer to call it, Iraqi-occupied Kurdistan) recently, they would have noticed that there are no Iraqi national flags flying in Dohuk and Hewlêr Governorates. At least, if they had been paying the slightest bit of attention, they would have noticed this. Those are KDP-controlled areas, and no one flies the Iraqi national flag there. Instead, the Kurdish tri-color, with its bold sun, is everywhere. Even the mountains are draped with the Kurdistan flag, as if they were dressed with huge red, yellow, and green cloaks.

No one would have noticed an Iraqi flag until they crossed into PUK territory which, for me, was somewhere around Koysinjaq, and even there, you didn't see a lot of the Iraqi national flag.

Later in the year, on 25 July to be exact, there was this report by that intrepid Kurdophile, Peter Galbraith, on The Boston Globe:

There are not many places in Iraq where the locals want to celebrate American Independence Day. But, in Iraq's self-governing Kurdistan region, the newly elected government decided to host a Fourth of July party for their American allies. Top coalition officers were invited along with US civilians, food and drinks ordered (the secular Kurds serve and drink alcohol), and the Kurdistan prime minister had prepared his speech. Then America's top diplomat in the region delivered an ultimatum: She would not attend unless the Kurds flew Iraq's flag at the party. The Kurds refused and canceled the party.

As the article continues, it's clear that Kurds despise the Iraqi national flag because it is the flag of the Ba'athi, of Saddam Hussein, the former ally of the US, which the State Department flunky was obviously defending. It's the flag of genocide.

Of course, what all the hypocrites are really worried about is the possibility of Kurdish freedom, and just listen to what the jackasses are braying about so loudly in Baghdad:

On Saturday, Sunni Arab lawmaker Saleh al-Mutlaq slammed Barzani's decision.

"What will be taken by force today, will be returned by force another day," he said, without elaborating. "We can defend our dignity, our people and our land ... and no one should be under the illusion that he could take a tiny bit of somebody else's land."

Let's see, when was it exactly that Arabs arrived in the region? And what did they find when they arrived? Kurds.

Of course, if these bold Baghdad politicians really think that they can defend their dignity, let them come to Kurdistan and try. They'll be sent packing in no time with their dignity dragging along behind them. Naturally, the Americans defend the Arab position:

The United States criticised on Tuesday a decision by the leader of Iraq's Kurds to ban the Iraqi national flag, weighing into a bitter dispute that has sparked threats of Kurdish secession.

The U.S. embassy initially called a decree issued by the president of Iraq's Kurdistan region Massoud Barzani "inappropriate" and said it did not enjoy U.S. support.

But in a revised statement later on Tuesday, U.S. envoy in Baghdad Zalmay Khalilzad said: "Decisions on Iraq's national symbols must be made by the Iraqi people as a whole through an established constitutional process," adding that Washington was committed to "Iraq's unity and territorial integrity".

In the revised statement, the embassy did not give any explanation for deleting parts of the original statement.

Rewind back to Peter Galbraith's comments on the subject from last year:

For Iraq's Kurds, the flag episode epitomizes America's ingratitude for their role as an ally in the war to overthrow Saddam Hussein and as the strongest supporter of US postwar policies. They note that American diplomats have no qualms about calling on Shi'ite politicians who display portraits of Iran's Ayatollah Khomeini and that the United States has pushed for the inclusion of Sunni Arabs, many former Ba'athists, in the constitution drafting committee. Iraq's Prime Minister Ibrahim Jafaari was warmly received at the White House even though his party, Dawa, was on the State Department terrorist list until a few years ago for the 1982 suicide bombing of the US embassy in Kuwait.

Oh, looky there. . . Americans inviting terrorists to the White House. How Turkish of them.

Speaking of the Turks, the Islamist ragsheet, Zaman is burning down the presses by saying that Kurds are now pushing for a national anthem, but if they had ever bothered to watch Roj TV, they would know there is already a Kurdistan national anthem, Ey Reqîb. Read it all at Wikipedia in the flavor of your choice: Kurmancî, Soranî, or English, and the national anthem is played every single day on Roj TV.

You can even listen to an audio file of Ey Reqîb, here.

The Turks can continue to try to silence Roj TV so that they don't have to acknowledge Ey Reqîb or the Kurdish people, and al-Maliki can continue vainly to insist that Saddam's flag be flown from "Iraqi" flagpoles--there are no "Iraqi" flagpoles in Kurdistan--but the reality of Kurdistan vis-a-vis her ever-loving neighbors, who usually insist on going by the self-designated title of "brothers," is still being unearthed, as this report from the Mail & Guardian describes:

Iraqi security forces on Monday found the remains of 18 Kurdish men, women and children whom they believe were buried alive in a mass grave during the former regime of Saddam Hussein.

Colonel Sarhad Kadar of the Iraqi police said the mass grave had been found in Tarkalan, 25km south-east of the northern city of Kirkuk in the grounds of an abandoned military camp dating from the 1980s and 1990s.

"They were alive when they were buried," he said.

During the late 1980s, Saddam's forces carried out a brutal scorched-earth campaign against northern Iraq's Kurdish minority in a bid to stamp out separatism and secure Kirkuk's oil fields.

Other mass graves of Kurds have also been discovered in the last few days, and similar graves have been found in Turkish-occupied Kurdistan.

On the one hand we have the Kurdistan flag and Ey Reqîb, and on the other hand we have the reality of the attempted genocide of the Kurdish people. We can tell which of these is the greater evil to the world-at-large by noting which makes a bigger ruckus in the media, and it would appear that the symbols of Kurdish national life are considered to be the greater of the two evils. For some, it will be so out of ignorance; for others, out of malice. To paraphrase the Kurdish proverb, the wise will fear an ignoramus more than an enemy.

Mark my words: neither the ignorant man nor the lion have shed a tear for Kurdistan's mass graves, but they will threaten to drown the world in their tears on the day that the failed state of Iraq collapses.

MORE BOMBINGS IN "THE SOUTHEAST"

"For states that support terror, it is not enough that the consequences be costly - they must be devastating."
~ George W. Bush.

The hevals over at KurdishInfo managed to dig up a nice little article about the situation in "The Southeast" which mentions the Mehmetcik body count from this last weekend and the bombing at Çatak in Wan province.

Apparently the bomb was set off in a trash can outside a tea house, killing a police and a city worker and injuring 14 others. The odd thing about this is that this bombing was carried out in imitation of some of TAK's bombings, but it occured in Turkish-occupied Kurdsitan, where TAK has not been operative. From The New Zealand Herald:

A bomb explosion ripped through a cafe in southeast Turkey on Sunday evening, killing two people including a police officer, and injuring nine others, police said.

[ . . . ]

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the latest bombing, which occurred at around 9pm (6am Monday NZT) in a tea garden in the district of Catak in Van province, a police officer in Van said.

"A bomb exploded in a rubbish bin in a tea garden, killing two people and injuring nine," the officer said.

The explosion occurred in the Gumus tea garden, which is frequented by civil servants, according to the CNN Turk website.

The BBC also had something on the bombing, but managed to make themselves look utterly ridiculous about it. Take a look:

It follows a series of bombings in Turkish resorts and Istanbul last week in which at least three people died.

A separatist militant group, the Kurdistan Freedom Falcons (Tac), has said it carried out those attacks.

Tac. . . what the hell is Tac? How do you get Kurdistan Freedom Falcons out of "Tac?" Where's the "K?" Morons, man. . . lazy, sloppy, journalistic morons.

Let's think about this bombing, shall we? It takes place in Turkish-occupied Kurdistan where TAK doesn't operate, but it appears to be using one of TAK's methods. HPG does operate in Turkish-occupied Kurdistan, but teahouses are not on their list of targets. Besides, HPG has already issued a statement denying that this was there operation, on their site, with a pickup on the statement by Firat News.

[By the way, check out the short bio there on Şehîd Baran Erzurum. It is HPG gerîlas of Turkish origin that are also our only hope.]

So the Çatak bombing doesn't quite fit any Kurdish operatives. It does, however, fit with JITEM operatives, the same people who bombed the Umut Bookstore, in Semdinli last November. It also fits the pattern of bombings elsewhere in "The Southeast" last November, from DozaMe:

NEWSDESK, Nov 24 (DozaMe.org) - A second Turkish military black-op intelligence (JITEM) unit has been unveiled and six people have been arrested by police for carrying out bomb attacks on a Turkish prosecutor's car, a Turkish police station and a clothing warehouse, all in the city of Silopi in northern Kurdistan (southeastern Turkey) between Nov. 10 and Nov. 22.

The JITEM unit consisted of six members, among them two Kurdish paramilitary Village Guards, one unnamed informer and three other unnamed members whose affiliations were kept secret by the Turkish state prosecutor in Silopi. The three members whose affiliations were kept secret are believed to be Turkish military personnel.

The JITEM members Sabri Binzat (Village Guard), Mehmet Özkan (Village Guard) and four others only named as C.D, C.B, D.A and A.K, are accused of three bomb attacks in the city, among them the bomb that was set off on Nov. 10 under the Turkish state prosecutor Talip Demirezen car outside the building of the Sirnak Governorship's Silopi Provincial District.

The other thing that this JITEM bombing reminds me of is the ongoing investigation of retired Turkish big mouth, Altay Tokat. Some of you may remember that he's the one who blabbed about setting off bombs in "The Southeast" in order to get civil servants to take the situation seriously. Previously, Amed and Şirnêx prosecutors offices had opened investigations on Tokat, but it looks like the Turkish General Staff is now doing the same, from Bianet:

Turkey's Chief of General Staff Prosecutor's Office has drawn up its indictment against retired Lieutenant General Altay Tokat for his public revelation that he was responsible for ordering one or two clandestine street bombings when assigned to the Southeast region "to bring judges and civil servants in line".

[ . . . ]

According to a report filed by Ersan Atar in the mass circulation daily Sabah newspaper, the 4-page indictment against Tokat charged that his statements in the media "gave the impression that the Turkish Armed Forces were using the methods used by the terrorist organization".

I object. There is nothing inconsistent in Tokat's blabbing because the TSK and related forces are terrorist organizations, sponsored by a terrorist state, Turkey. When this story broke, Al-Jazeera carried an AFP report on it:

Tokat told the magazine: "The civil servants, the judges who come from western Turkey do not realise how serious the situation is [in the southeast]... They walk around without a care, do what they want," he was quoted as saying.

"So to get them to shape up, I had [the bombs] thrown at two spots close to their homes," he said.

He described the attacks as carefully planned acts of "psychological warfare" that harmed no one, but did not further identify the targets of the attacks, nor the town where they took place.

The retired general's remarks were in response to comments defending a deadly hand grenade attack on a Kurdish-owned bookstore in November 2005, in Semdinli, for which two soldiers were each sentenced to nearly 40 years' imprisonment last month.

"What are we supposed to do? Stand by while he (the store owner) carries messages to the PKK? This (the grenade attack) is called acting outside the law? Such law is unacceptable," Tokat told the magazine.

Funny . . . Yasar Buyukanit was the commander of the Diyarbakir 7th Army Corps from 1996 to 1998. Tokat served in "The Southeast" from 1995 to 1998, which means that he served under Buyukanit. Buyukanit, as commander, would have known what was going on. Since Buyukanit knew the Semdinli bombers, non-commissioned officers who were assigned to "The Region" at the time, and he knew them well enough to refer to them as "good boys," then certainly he knew what one of his senior officers was up to.

That's the point, isn't it? The Wan prosecutor was sacked for trying to investigate Buyukanit's dirty links to the dirty war of genocide, and now Tokat the Blabbermouth is being investigated by the Turkish General Staff, for committing bombings against Turkish civilians under Buyukanit's watch, bombings the likes of which have been common knowledge among Kurds for some time.

Funny, too that MHPer Tokat identifies the civil servant targets of his hand grenades as judges, while speculation is that the same gang of nationalists were behind the Council of State attack, à la Susurluk.

Let's hope that what goes around, comes around. . . soon. Very soon.

Berxwedan û Serkeftin!

THE INDESTRUCTIBLE PAWN

“I know of no higher fortitude than stubborness in the face of overwhelming odds.”
~ Louis Nizer.

There was an article yesterday on Time Magazine on the Kurdish struggle in Turkey and Turkish-occupied Kurdistan, and this article seems to predict a military response to PKK's recent statement offering conditions leading to a possible bilateral ceasefire. Nothing new there, now that Buyukanit and Ralston are both on board. The clincher comes in the last paragraph of the article, in which Time spins a spiral staircase out of alleged steps the Ankara regime has taken to improve rights for the Kurdish people.

Fact is that these "steps" are merely cosmetic and that forcible assimilation of the Kurdish people remains the goal of the TC.

Speaking of Ralston, we know that he was the Supreme Allied Commander in Europe during Operation Northern Watch (ONW), and we know that ONW was the continuation of Operation Provide Comfort (OPC). OPC was an idea devised, in part, by Turgut Ozal in order to encourage the removal of Southern Kurdish refugees back to South Kurdistan in the wake of the failed 1991 Serhildan. Ostensibly, both OPC and ONW were put in place to protect Southern Kurds; in reality, they were instruments to benefit Turkey. Coalition sorties from Incirlik Airbase remained under Turkish control, subject to the whims of the Ankara regime:

The recent history of Incirlik offers a small window on the moral incoherence and dubious alliances that characterize US foreign policy in the region. Since Turkey reviews US access to the base every six months, it has had a powerful lever with which to influence the United States--and in turn, the United States has made costly compromises to preserve its access. "If a Turkish Ayatollah Khomeini came to power tomorrow," a high-level military official recently commented to me, "the US would still stay on bended knee to avoid losing that base."

The most scandalous of these compromises involves the US role in northern Iraq. The ostensible humanitarian purpose of the northern no-fly zone is to safeguard 3.3 million Iraqi Kurds. Unfortunately, US concern for the Kurds extends only to those being attacked by our enemy Saddam, not to those being attacked by our ally Turkey. Over the past fourteen years more than 23,000 Kurds fighting for greater autonomy and self-determination in southern Turkey and northern Iraq have died at Turkish hands. When Turkey sends US-made F-16s or thousands of troops to attack the Kurds across the border, as it did last December, Washington looks the other way. It's an "obscene piece of hypocrisy," writes John Nichol, the British pilot who was shot down in 1991 and tortured by Iraqi forces. "Turkish authorities ground our aircraft so that their own can attack the very Kurds that [we were] protecting just a few hours before." One investigation by Air Force Times revealed that the Turks were grounding more than 50 percent of US missions.

By the way, keep reading in that article to get an idea of how Turkey's so-called reforms are mere cosmetics and "The few improvements Turkey has made do not apply to the southern Kurdish regions, where almost all of the cases of torture occur." It's even worse for Kurds today, with the new anti-terror law.

Ralston was among those who, in early 2001, was among those American military officers who began to campaign for an end to ONW, from this Stars and Stripes article:

Media reports last week stated that Air Force Gen. Joseph W. Ralston recommended that the Bush administration end ONW patrols, wary of losses at a time when Iraqi attacks against U.S. and British planes have intensified.

Those reports stated that Ralston, commander in chief of the U.S. European Command, favors responding to specific Iraqi threats in the no-fly zones.

Maj. Ed Loomis, a EUCOM spokesman, declined to comment on the accuracy of those reports.

At the same time, "you hear noises" that Turkey won’t renew ONW, said Michael Gunter, a U.S. expert on the Kurds.

Turkish leaders "flirt" with Saddam, "and certainly have more relations with him than we do," Gunter said.

Turkey allows U.S. and British planes to fly ONW missions from Incirlik Air Base at a time when Ankara politicians are moving closer to Baghdad, and Turkish officials are complaining that sanctions against Saddam are punishing Turkey’s foundering economy.

But Turkey needs ONW to keep tabs on Kurdish separatists, whom the Turks have fought for 16 years, Gunter said.

For those who can remember, the situation in the 1990's bears an eerie similarity to the situation today. Consider this, from a UK review of the no-fly zones in March, 2001:

Since 1991, Turkey has continued to invoke a pre-war bilateral agreement with Iraq, which had lapsed at the end of the Iran-Iraq war in 1988, allowing Turkish forces to conduct cross-border operations in pursuit of PKK members . Turkey has regularly bombed and shelled border areas, on occasion resorting to large-scale ground offences into northern Iraq, supported by air strikes, to attack PKK bases. These incursions always took place within the northern NFZ, which applies only to Iraqi aircraft.

According to that review, the inconsistency of the US position regarding the Kurdish people--or what most of us would consider extreme hypocrisy--was apparent to British lawmakers who questioned US bombing of Iraqi military targets while turning a blind eye to Turkey's own military targeting of the Kurdish people, military incursions into South Kurdistan, and Turkey's refusal to grant any human rights to Kurdish people under its occupation. Neither did the US have any objections to Turkish moves to establish a "security zone" inside South Kurdistan along the border with Turkish-occupied Kurdistan, thus violating Iraqi "territorial integrity" and "sovereignty."

The inconsistency vanishes when one realizes that the only American policy for the Kurdish people is the "good" Kurd/"bad" Kurd dichotomy. We have yet to see whether the KDP will join again with Turkey in taking up arms against HPG. At this point, however, I believe it is unlikely that KDP will do so, since the majority of HPG combat forces are already in Turkish-occupied Kurdistan.

It was politics, and not humanitarian concerns for Kurds, that was the impetus behind ONW. Given what we know of Ralston's ties to the Deep State, how much of his recommendation to end ONW was based on Turkish political considerations and possible advantages and not, as he claimed, based on concerns about American "losses?"

As a political commentary from Russia's RIA/Novosti opines, the Kurdish people are the "indestructible pawn" on the Middle Eastern chessboard. Kurds will retain that position for the foreseeable future because there is no one ready or willing to genuinely negotiate the political solution that has already been offered, just as there was no one ready or willing to use the previous 5-year unilateral PKK ceasefire to any mutual benefit.

Of course, being the ancient and indestructible pawn on the chessboard is one of the advantages of Kurdistan, since we know that neither the US, nor Turkey, want to do what has to be done in order to win. 40 years in the mountains, on foot, is not cost-efficient for them in any respect. All we have to do is hold on and not swerve in this little game of chicken.

Anybody want to take a ride?

CONFLICT OF INTEREST

"A conflict of interest is a situation in which someone in a position of trust, such as a lawyer, a politician, or an executive or director of a corporation, has competing professional or personal interests. Such competing interests can make it difficult to fulfill his or her duties impartially. Even if there is no evidence of improper actions, a conflict of interest can create an appearance of impropriety that can undermine confidence in the ability of that person to act properly in his/her position."

~ Wikipedia.

The following is the transcript of the daily press briefing with the US Department of State for 29 August, 2006:

QUESTION: Yes. Mr. Casey, anything to say about the U.S. Coordinator on PKK issues in Turkey, retired Air Force General Joseph Ralston?

MR. CASEY: Well, I think you saw our statement that we put out yesterday on this subject.

QUESTION: Mm-hmm.

MR. CASEY: But obviously we're very pleased that General Ralston, who's of course both the former Deputy Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and a former NATO Supreme Allied Commander, has accepted this role being a Special Envoy. This reiterates the commitment that we have to working with Turkey and working with the Government of Iraq to end the threat posed by PKK terrorism resulting from northern Iraq or from any other place.

I should also take the opportunity, Mr. Lambros, to reiterate something that Sean told a few of you yesterday, and which is that we obviously condemn the PKK-sponsored attacks that have occurred in Turkey over the last couple of days. This has resulted in numerous injuries and several deaths. Clearly this is an unacceptable practice. The PKK needs to stop all hostile actions against the Turkish people, and we strongly stand with our friends and allies in Turkey in saying no not only to PKK acts of violence but all forms of terrorism.

QUESTION: Why your government appointed a military person and not a political or diplomatic one? Is there any particular reason?

MR. CASEY: Well, I think as we said in our statement, I think General Ralston is an individual with unique qualifications. He has served extensively in Europe, including again as Supreme Allied Commander for NATO, as well as the head of the United States European Command. He is very familiar with these issues. And obviously, as the PKK is a terrorist group, it is something that requires the work of all parts of our governments not only from the political or diplomatic side, but also from the side of coordination among our security forces. And I think General Ralston is very well qualified both to work the political aspects of this as well also to certainly understand the security dimensions of the problem.

QUESTION: Do you believe the Coordinator Ralston will report directly to the Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice or to the Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld by definition who -- I'm saying Mr. (inaudible) by definition, he's the popular Prime Minister of Turkey (inaudible) 2003 to the present?

MR. CASEY: Well, I know Special Envoy Ralston will be coming here shortly in the next few days to meet with officials here in this building. My understanding is his primary chain of responsibility will be through here. That of course involves conversations with officials like Assistant Secretary Welch who handles Middle Eastern issues, Assistant Secretary Fried who deals with European concerns as well as certainly Under Secretary Burns, who's been actively involved in this issue as well.

QUESTION: Same subject?

MR. CASEY: Yeah, sure.

QUESTION: So is he going to have an office in the State Department building? And do you know whether he's planning to go to the region anytime soon?

MR. CASEY: Well, again, I don't have any specific travel plans for him to share with you, although we'll keep you updated on that. In terms of whether he physically has an office here or not, I honestly don't know right now. There are some -- in some cases, some envoys have requested that kind of office space; others have not and I'm just not aware of what his plans are.

[ . . . ]

QUESTION: Yes, on Turkey. Mr. Casey, the other day, Turkish F-16 in the Iranian (inaudible) strike PKK position in northern Iraq, which provoked a strong reaction by Massoud Barzani against that. Any comment? Do you have anything on that?

MR. CASEY: I really don't have anything for you on that, Mr. Lambros. Again, the only thing I would say is that it's very important that we and the Iraqi Government, and the Government of Turkey all work together to end the threat posed by the PKK.

QUESTION: As we understand, PKK has two branches: the political one and the military one. Which from the two you consider not a terrorist one in order to negotiate with Ankara?

MR. CASEY: Look, Mr. Lambros, the discussions and what the envoy will be doing is talking with the Government of Turkey and the Government of Iraq. We are not engaged in conversations with the PKK or with any other terrorist organization.

QUESTION: And the last one, since --

MR. CASEY: I'll tell you what, we're out of last ones.

QUESTION: Very important, since --

MR. CASEY: They're all important.

QUESTION: Since General Joseph Ralston, as coordinator, will be involved (inaudible) that via (inaudible) Turkey and PKK are entering a kind of political dialogue, how will be this mechanism?

MR. CASEY: No. You can assume that General Ralston will be talking with officials of, again, the Government of Turkey and the Government of Iraq on how they and we can all work together to coordinate actions to assure that the PKK cannot conduct terrorist activities.

QUESTION: What are the reactions of PKK in this negotiation?

MR. CASEY: Again, I think we're pretty clear on that one.

We are very clear on that one, particularly with regard to US propaganda and claims to fostering the spread of "democracy" in the Middle East. Naturally, these claims are further illuminated by the fact that the new American "special envoy" to coordinate the continued genocide of the Kurdish people, Joseph W. Ralston, also happens to be a member of the 2006 Advisory Board of the American Turkish Council.

Ralston's intimacy with long-time ATC supporting organization, The Cohen Group, and his place on the ATC's advisory group as the representative of the same "consultancy" lends credibility to speculation that the ATC is a de facto branch of the US government. From Dissident Voice, February, 2005:

Operating tax-free and out of the media or watchdog spotlight is the most powerful “non-profit” association in the United States, the American Turkish Council. Like the thousands of Associations operating inside the Washington, DC Beltway, the ATC is chartered to provide “legal and ethical” venues for American-Turkish government and business interests to meet face-to-face to improve business, security and cultural relations between the two countries. The ATC, and other Associations, has a dues structure and committee structure that includes a government relations or “educational” committee that lobbies the public and US government representatives on behalf of its members. But that’s where the similarity ends.

While the ATC is an Association in name and in charter, the reality is that it and other affiliated Associations are the US government. Theirs is the voice that matters and is the one that is heard on television and radio networks through the mouths of newsreaders, senators, congressmen, presidents and military leaders. It is in and through such Associations that US political, economic and military policy is made and the American public subsequently “educated” to support policies that are not, and could not, be debated in public because of their illegality, audacity, complexity and, arguably, necessity. Instead, the creation of policy and action -- or even reaction to events -- is hammered out in corporate boardrooms, foreign governments, research institutes, and think tanks. It all comes together in Associations like the ATC.

Is it coincidence that the new American "special envoy" is also the director of the defense industry's The Timken Company, and is a director on the boards of both URS Corporation and ATC Golden Horn member, Lockheed Martin?

What we have here is a huge conflict of interest which proves to us the total insincerity of the United States with regard to democracy in Turkey, or for the Kurdish people. As such, there is no reason for Kurds to cooperate with the US or with Turkey.

Instead, let us prepare ourselves for another long road through hell, since the Americans will continue to use Kurds as pawns in the Deep State's game. The best outcome that can be hoped for is that both the US and Turkey are bled to the point that they decide on the practicality of coming to a political solution with the Kurdish people. Western states and their militaries have lost the will to fight for "existential" reasons; instead, they fight for their markets, from Global Guerrillas:

The western way of war in the 21st century is a pale shadow of the warfare it waged in the 20th. The reason is simple: for western societies war is no longer existential. Instead, it's increasingly about smoothing market flows and tertiary moral concerns/threats.

According to that analysis, the West no longer has the will to engage in real warfare. Turkey should be included under the umbrella of the West, because it is a member of NATO, desires to become a member of the EU, and therefore has the same lack of will to fight anything protracted. It also wishes to increase its economy, especially in energy. On that long road through hell with the PKK, and with TAK, or with any other Kurdish group that may develop in the future, Turkey should be concerned about its economy. Any operations that will help to destabilize Turkey's economy, should receive the highest priority.

A few recent examples of operations aimed at economic disruption include the recent HPG operation that disrupted the Turkish-Iranian pipeline near Agri, as well as TAK bombings of resort areas and the setting of forest fires in Turkey proper.

In order to learn to live within its limits, Turkey and the US should be aware of the following, also from the Global Guerrillas link:

Given an inability to resolve conflicts through nation-building and state collapse, western states should endeavor to deescalate conflicts rather than ignite them. Escalation is a false God that promises a return of the motivational clarity found in the wars of the 20th Century. It cannot deliver this. The only thing it provides is a widening and deepening of the conflict through the proliferation of opposition.

Exactly, and this "proliferation of opposition" as regards the Kurdish situation has already entered the discussion, from an article on KurdishMedia:

There are four main reasons for this dangerous development of Eagles of Free Kurdistan [Note: Kurdistan Freedom Falcons--Mizgîn]:

1. The world’s indifference to the plight of Kurds and denial of their basic national and cultural rights in Turkey.

2. The US and Europe’s hypocritical and unfair labelling of Kurdish nationalsits as terrorists in spite of their readiness for dialogue, democracy and peaceful solutions to all problems.

3. Disillusion with even PKK’s compromising approach to Kurdish question in Turkey after the capture of its leader Abdullah Ocelan and its giving up the aim of free independent united Kurdistan.

4. The most important factor for this ominous development is what happens elsewhere: in Lebanon, in Palestine, in Iraq and everywhere else where there is violence. In this age of satellite TV, the Internet and global information, a new generation of Kurds can see on daily basis that the groups that most attract attention and international respect and recognition are those that advocate violence, especially criminal indiscriminate massacres of civilians. These methods are also most effective in resisting and fighting oppressive states with formidable killing machines and repressive apparatuses.

Did anyone notice that the State Department spokesman in the transcript never once made reference to Turkey's denial of all rights to the Kurdish people? That would be an example of the world's indifference. There is also the hypocrisy of The List® when we consider that both Turkey and the US negotiate or have relationships with others that they consider to be terrorists, such as the US negotiating with the Iraqi insurgency or Turkey inviting HAMAS to Ankara. Or in the recent US support for a ceasefire that guarantees an increase in strength for Iran's Hezbollah in Lebanon.

How many times have I heard the question from Kurds: "If we start to blow things up, do you think they'll listen to us?" Perhaps this is the right tactic after all because the US is not interested in a ceasefire as a step to a solution, but as a way of doing a favor for its Turkish business partner. This is why Ralston, with his unique qualifications as an ATC tool, was appointed to his new job.

PKK, as the representative of the freedom struggle from Turkish occupation, is ready to discuss the possibility of a bilateral ceasefire, in order to negotiate a political settlement to the atrocities that the US and its puppet regime in Ankara have inflicted on Kurds for eight decades, but until the US and the Ankara regime come to their senses and realize their crimes, PKK will continue to fight.

And let's remember that, for Kurds, the fight is not for financial reasons, markets or greed. The fight is for existential reasons, dignity and honor.