Özgür Gündem is running an item on the status of Kerkuk and Turkish recognition of an autonomous South Kurdistan. Naturally, there are strings attached. Excerpts from Özgür Gündem:
Turkey, which does not compromise to solve the Kurdish question in a democratic way, began its cross-border operation with the active support of the US on 16 December [2007]. Contrary to what they claim, the PKK did not suffer any significant losses [5 şehîds], but the Turkish army murdered civilians. Since the aerial operation resulted in a fiasco, Turkey is preparing a land operation against South Kurdistan, thus it is bargaining internationally for this operation. These activities are becoming obvious day by day.
It has been mentioned that if the KRG cooperates with Turkey against the PKK, Turkey would assume guardianship of a controllable South Kurdistan. For this purpose, two steps have been taken: 1. Cross-border operations are being implemented at the cost of the violation of a nation's sovereignty (Iraq's); 2. The Kerkuk referendum has been delayed. Thus the deal is that Turkey is willing to recognize a limited Kurdistan, which excludes Kerkuk, and includes only Hewlêr-Silêmanî.
Apparently Barzanî and Talabanî approved this plan, selling Kurdistan down the river, and for that reason we see no objections to Turkish stipulations. On the contrary, Talabanî has praised AKP's policies and urged Northern Kurds to vote for AKP.
Continuing:
A controllable Kurdistan plan became obvious with the cross-border operations. Some experts claim that, despite the support of the US, since Turkey could not annihilate the Kurds, Turkey is willing to recognize a limited South Kurdistan. On 5 November, Turkey forced the US to exclude Kerkuk from the Kurdish region and, thus Turkey would recognize the government of such a limited region. This was the first step of the controllable Kurdistan plan. It is not a coincidence that two days after the first Turkish [air] attack on 16 December 2007, the Kerkuk referendum was delayed on 18 December. While this decision of delay was being made, US Secretary of State Rice was in Kerkuk--again this was not a coincidence. These steps were the indicators of the US-Turkey alliance against the Kurds. Later on, the KRG parliament also approved the decision. The approval of the decision by the KRG was satisfactory for Turkey. In December 2007, Büyükanıt, who always considered South Kurdistan as a threat, said, "It might be a modern federation which excludes Kerkuk." By saying so, he stressed that Turkey would accept a South Kurdistan that excludes Kerkuk.
This is an updated plan because Turgut Özal was the one who most recently toyed with the idea of re-annexing the Mosul Vilayet:
Turkey has never entirely lost its interest in the former Vilayet of Mosul. There are those who believe that the entire Vilayet rightly belongs to Turkey — the previous Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yaşar Yakiş, suggested that Turkey might wish to lay claims to this territory. The late Turgut Özal, Turkey’s former Prime Minister and President, flirted with the idea of re-integration of this region with Turkey. He appeared to believe that a form of federation between Turkey and the Kurdish part of Iraq would be mutually beneficial and could potentially solve Turkey’s Kurdish problems. This shows at the very least that Turkey’s commitment to Iraq’s territorial integrity has been less than consistent and wholehearted.
More backgrounder on Turkey's longing for its Vilayet at AsiaTimes, pre-Iraq War.
Turkish politicians only matter as part of the "democratic" show for international consumption; however, if Büyükanıt--the real ruler of Turkey--accepts the deal, then you know know it's done. With all the scurrying around of generals and politicians in the last few weeks-culminating, no doubt, with Dick "Halliburton" Cheney's visit to Ankara this coming March--anyone who's surprised by a Turkish invasion in the spring should be considered incomparably thick.
At the end of last week, Hürriyet reported a surprise visit to Ankara of General James Cartwright, vice-chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Cartwright's visit closely follows Turkish General Ergun Saygun's visit to Washington in the first week of February. More from AFP:
General James Cartwright, vice chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, will discuss "the ongoing struggle" against the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) with Turkish counterparts, an embassy spokeswoman said.
Cartwright, Turkish General Ergin Saygun and US General David Petraeus, the top commander in Iraq, are coordinating measures against the rebel group.
Washington has been supplying its NATO ally Turkey with intelligence on PKK movements in northern Iraq, where the group has taken refuge.
On Thursday this week, the MGK (Milli Güvenlik Kurulu--National Security Council) will meet to hold discussions on this spring's Turkish invasion of South Kurdistan:
US Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. James Cartwright's last week's visit to Turkey will also be on the agenda at the meeting. Cartwright met twice with Turkish Deputy Chief of General Staff Gen. Ergün Saygun in the last 10 days, once in US and once in Turkey. His visit to Turkey bears great importance in terms of Turkey's possible cross-border operation into northern Iraq with its land forces in the spring.
In another amazing coincidence, the new US Attorney General, Michael Mukasey was in Turkey last week as well. In addition to offering advice on the legality of torture techniques as part of the Global War on Terror, Incorporated, he discussed joint US-Turkish operations against the Kurdish freedom movement and Turkey's hosting of al-Qaeda operatives:
Mukasey would not elaborate on media reports that his talks focused on the possible capture and handover to Turkey of PKK commanders.
Ankara and Washington, like much of the international community, list the PKK, which has waged a bloody 23-year campaign for Kurdish self-rule in southeast Turkey, as a terrorist organisation.
Mukasey said he also discussed measures against Al-Qaeda, which has stepped up activities in Turkey in recent years.
"Our two countries can expand our collaboration on this and other judicial and law enforcement matters," he said.
More from Hürriyet:
News about upcoming Cheney visit to Ankara was revealed during the latest high level visit by an American official, US Attorney General Michael Mukasey. Meeting with top level Turkish officials, Mukasey delivered a warning from Washington with regards to Al Qaeda presence in Turkey.
"We are watching Al Qaeda closely. And we have seen in the recent period that they have increased their activities in Turkey" he told Turkish Justice Justice Minister Mehmet Ali Sahin and Interior Minister Besir Atalay, according to sources close to the matter.
In addition, the US head of the Justice Department warned Turkish officials that it "appeared as though Al Qaeda may have chosen Turkey as a base". Mukasey is the first American head of Justice to have made an official visit to Turkey.
Really?? Only recently?? I don't think so. Remember, the 9/11 hijackers were trained in Turkey.
The updated plan for the invasion of South Kurdistan, and Turkey's "guardianship" of the same, has been agreed upon as part of America's wider plans for the region, specifically with regard to Iran. Turkey's expanded sphere of influence into South Kurdistan will shift the regional balance of power away from Iran.
Of course, the Medya Defense Zones--those areas in which PKK operates--are key terrain. That the US is working with Turkey to gain control of those areas by annihilating a freedom organization that has offered ceasefire and political solution, indicates clearly enough that the PKK has refused to compromise its integrity by caving in to US interests.
11 comments:
Turkey learns well from the U.S. in making sure to keep the more desirable leaders of a foreign state in power in order to control that foreign state.
It seems Turkey has secured it's jashes in Southern Kurdistan to keep it under control by their demand...
...it is already too late for Kurds to wake up, but I hope they do eventually.
New PKK ally Iran? Like in the past?
The Kurdish Nation’s Past and Present Dilemma
History is the best guide for any nation on Earth, especially for people like the Kurds in the Middle East, to review before making any decisions on which direction to go. In the old days we used to be a very powerful nation during the Medes, Achaemenids, Seleucids, Parthians, and the Sassanian Empires. This was especially true during the Sassanian Empire during which we ran the Sassanian Government and military. The Kurds became part of the royal family by marriage and the capital of the Empire was in the Kurdistan region.
The Arab invasion of the Sassanian Empire under the pretext of teaching the Islamic religion destroyed the hopes and aspirations of all the Aryan nations in Middle East, especially the Kurdish nation. The Arab nationalists destroyed our culture, religion, and personality while simultaneously dividing the unity of the Aryan nations which remain divided to this day.
The Kurds experimented with every ideology in the region including Sunni Islam (Ottoman Empire in Turkey), Shitte Islam (Safavid Empire in Iran), communism, democracy and socialism. You name it, they have tried to use it for liberation and to gain back the dignity of the nation. So far they have all failed and yet they keep repeating the failed experiments over and over. Every time they have end up being second or third class citizens of the countries they live.
The Kurds have had a few successes whenever they worked with other Aryan (Iranian) nations in the past. History informs us that when we are united with other Aryan (Iranian) nations, we Kurds are very successful. We can look at Nader Shah, founder of Afshar Dynasty shah of Iran (1736–1747); Karim Khan Zand (1705-1779), founder of the Zand dynasty in Iran; and Dr. Karim Sanjabi (1904-1995), an Iranian liberal political leader of the 20th century. We need to come to realize that our survival is connected to other Aryan (Iranian) nations in the region.
The Kurds in the northern part of Kurdistan allied themselves with Sunni Islam (Ottoman Empire in Turkey) against Shitte Islam (Safavid Empire in Iran). Even the founder of the Safavid dynasty’s origin was Kurdish. The betrayals of their own people for personal gain are haunting the Kurdish population under the iron rule of the Turks in Turkey now. The people should learn from their past mistakes. When you sell out your own people sooner or later it will come back to haunt you.
In the modern day the Kurdish nations are measuring up the other nations around them. Like the President of the USA said, are you with me or against me? Maybe the US Government can get away with such statements because they are a very strong nation. In contrast, the Kurdish nations are very weak and hopeless in the Middle East, they should be careful with other nation’s interests.
The USA, Israel, European Union, Russians and many other nations protect their own interests. They are not on the payroll of the Kurdish nations, to listen to their grievances and serve the Kurds interest. They are dealing with Turkey and other nations based on their own interests. Like once Dr. Henry Kissinger said once, we are not in the charity business.
Four or five countries divide the Kurds now. We are the people with Aryan (Iranian) origin. Our nations are part of the larger Aryan nation in the Middle East. The Kurds, Persians and other Aryan (Iranian) nations are under pressure by the Arab Imperialist through the use of Islamic religion as a tool for superiority and dominations. They are under pressure by the re-emergence of the Turkish Imperialists whose goal is to dominate all of the Aryan land through the use of the Turkish Torani doctrine.
It is logical for the Kurdish nation, the Afghani nation, and the Persian nation to get united for their survival. As one nation you can be free from the occupation and annihilation by other nations around them. When you are united then other people will think twice before taking your land. This is an idea to think about it for your own good.
Sincerely,
Jaff Sassani
From the SKDC
Feb-16-2008
jaff.skdc@googlemail.com
http://www.jaff-sassanie.com/Default.aspx
like the kurds are not target enough! allying ourselves with iran couldnt be more disastrous esp. at this time.
Not to worry; generally, leaders "sell out" for personal or party gains. A Kurdistan that only includes Hewler and Silemani is a Kurdistan that doesn't include Barzani so I'm sure he wouldn't be signing up just to be disempowered. And, Talabani, having just tasted power, would not be too willing to give it up to live under Turkey's domination.
When a theory goes against logic, you can bet it is just propaganda...
Southern Kurdistan will march towards independence...without Iranian or Turkish domination.
One stinking university that won't even teach Turkish does not a Turkish invasion make.
One stinking university that won't even teach Turkish does not a Turkish invasion make.
Really? Which is more dangerous: a military invasion or a "soft" ideological invasion?
I can say one thing for the Turks, they learned the lesson of the Trojan Horse very, very well. So well, in fact, that they're using the same tactic now in South Kurdistan.
One used to beware of Greeks bearing gifts; South Kurdistan should be very wary of Turks bearing gifts . . . but they're not.
Now go back and re-read the article. There are already Gulen schools in the South and they intend to get professors to teach Turkish.
Hmm . . . the Kurdistan Referendum Movement . . . I haven't heard much from them in, oh, about 4 years.
Dear reader
We are saying the liberation of our people won’t come through the Independent of south Kurdistan or North Kurdistan or any other part of Kurdistan. We are in strategical land in the Middle East to get peace and stability in the future we need to think differently.
We don’t need to be follower of Persian, Azri or any other Aryan (Iranian) nations. We have to think of the leadership of the Aryan (Iranian) nations to build the Aryan (Iranian) Economic Union (AU) that way we will assure our independent state and cut off the Turk population in Turkey from the Torini countries in Asia.
We have to be creative the Turk sale themselves as the economic power in the region. We are Aryan (Iranian) people with much better economic option than what Turk nomad are offering the world by clamming the Iranian peoples land for themselves.
Forget about the Shitte and Sunni Islam by now every one should understand the fights are about the wealth of the land not religions. If we claim our land back from the Arab and Turk imperialist and join the other Iranian nations liberation movement you will find out how weak the Turk are in the Middle East.
As we said during the Sassanian Empire the Turk and Arab kept in bay they come after the collapse of the Sassanian Empire. The Kurdish tribal leaders helped Turk in the past
See above in our article they are paying for the mistake now.
Look at we said about Talabani few days ago the Kurd in South Kurdistan are corrupted now. People like Talabani and his PUK used to be like the PKK. They claimed to be fighting for Kurdish people’s right and look at them what they are now, corrupt--à corrupt. We are asking what grantee the Kurdish people will have that some day when the PKK have power won’t be like Talalbani.
The Kurdish people should be careful whom they support. So far the Tribal leaders, Religion leaders, Political leaders in Kurdistan come out to be sale out greedy and selfish people in our history.
We need to change our culture of thinking. We need the political parties to serve our people not just to be our leaders. We need to force people like Barzani or Talabani to say publicly that I am the servant of Kurdish people my family are not above you. We Kurd very proud people we should stand and declare that every Kurdish families are equal.
Read our website and understand what we are saying.
Sincerely,
Jaff Sassani
From the SKDC
Feb-26-2008
jaff.skdc@googlemail.com
http://www.jaff-sassanie.com/Default.aspx
Kurds: We demand that leaders serve us and don’t want to be servant
The Kurdish people histories are full of mischief by other Kurds against their own people
Through our history we had many families went up in the society regardless of their backgrounds. They are coming from the tribal leaders or religions or politic but they have one thing in common.
When Kurdish individuals gaining the leadership of the Kurds they are immediately running to make up the name for his or her own ancestors. Most of the time they claim to be from the Sayed (In Kurdish mean the children of Ali Bin Abe Talib Al Hashami) families with Arab origins. They are ashamed to call themselves Kurds or Aryan (Iranian) origin. The Sayed in Arabic language meaning respectable person just like Agah in Persian language or Khan in Turkish and Mongols or Pear in Kurdish.
The Kurdish culture and traditions always serve the leaders in the process the Kurds will become slave to the leadership even in this modern days. While in the world especially in western countries the human made very good progress almost the people are equal by law. The lord of Europe’s Middle age feudal system no longer exists.
The Kurdish political system becoming likes Tribal system, Sayed and non-Sayed families system of the religion Shikes. The Kurds are expected to be the servants while around the world the leadership is elected to serve people. If you have power and Money you can find thousand or million of Kurds to serve you and become your slave. They betrayal each other even they kill you if you dislike his or her leader. We Kurds like Dogs we like our owners to death without asking any questions.
We are different from other nations on earth may be why we not have country. Our leaders treating us like cows in free markets sell us out and then we follow them to death. What is wrong with us we should have study group to do research on us to see are we greedy or stupid or what. Even if we are group of thief we should ask how we going to divide the income. How you are going to run our group when you have power. Why we are following so blindly.
Sincerely,
Jaff Sassani
From the SKDC
Feb-26-08
jaff.skdc@googlemail.com
http://www.jaff-sassanie.com/Default.aspx
Talabani syndrome and Kurds
For more than half century now the Kurds in Iraq are hostage to the Talabani policy and his mischief in the region. He did every thing possible to get in power. As we said many time before he did cooperate and compromise with the nationalistic ambitions of The Arab Imperialist through the Late Egyptian President Gamal Abdel Nasser and later he did continue with his secret cooperation with the dictators of the Iraq and Syria Through Saddam Hussein and Hafez Al-Asad.
Talabani has similar cooperation and compromise with Turkey and Iran on the expanses of the Kurdish national ambitions. Many Kurdish individual are cooperating with the Talabani for selfish reason not patriotisms. The people who want to be rich and famous on the expanse of the Kurdish blood are supporting him while they know and understand very well his wrongdoing.
The question for the so called Kurdish intellectual who are supporting Talabani and people like him in Kurdistan why you are betraying your own people for Money?
The Kurdish writer now a day they write about the problem facing the Kurdish people for countries. And do comparison between the Kurds vs. Kosovars and other nations around the world and their fortunes and successful stories. They avoid informing the readers about the truth because of their own interest and cooperation with Talabani and other Kurdish leaders.
The Kurdish people should know the failure of the Kurdish nations movement so far to achieve the Independent for Kurds are related to the corruptions and individuals like Mr. Talabani and thousand like him.
The Kurds will be independent when they are united and acknowledge each other rights. As long as one group ignoring other group’s right and take the wealth and power alone then the Unity will be impossible and the Independent will be a dream for next generations to come.
The people who are part of the corruption and supporter of the thief’s for his or her own selfish reason so they can gain favors from Mr. Talabani and other Kurdish leaders should shut up and not talking about the Kurdish independent.
We are demanding that every group in Kurdistan be treated equally and lawfully. We want that our people Jaff, Sulayminian, Barzani, Surchy, Harkey, Holari, Barwari, Zabari, Shitte Kurd, Sunni Kurd, Kakai, Pashdari, Kirkuki and other regions be treated equally by law and have right to elect their own representatives. We are multi regions people when we have respect for each others then we can get some where other wise the failure will come soon or later.
We know now that the political parties are lie and controlled by tribal and regional system plus the corruptions so the lie won’t work any more. Let be honest and have meaning full dialog to solve our people’s problem other wise we are never going to have peace and the country in Kurdistan.
We are suggesting that our people should ask the international community especially the USA, UN and EU to help us and have free elections in the region. The Parliament, Judges and executives should be elected freely. The new Government should take all the people who have been accused of corruptions to court and be persecuted fully by law even the President of Iraq Mr. Jalal Talabani should face justice in the process for all his wrong doing against the Kurdish people.
Sincerely,
Jaff Sassani
From the SKDC
Feb-27-2008
SKDC
http://www.jaff-sassanie.com/Default.aspx
SKDC_Service@jaff-sassanie.com
The Sassanian Kurd Defense Committee
Kurdistan Iraq, Jaff People from: Kurdistan Iraq
United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon
Special Representative for Iraq
Honorable Staffan de Mistura
Honorable Michael Von Der Schulenburg
Honorable David Shearer
Dear honorable Mr. De Mistura
Dear honorable Mr. Von Der Schulenburg
Dear honorable Mr. Shearer
We are more than one million people in the region administered by The Talabani organization PUK political party. Our committee formed to defend the right of the Jaff people in that region.
The Jaff Kurds are associations of many tribes with the Sassanion origin. 90 % present of the victim from Chemical attack on Halabjah, Iraq by Saddam Hussein Government was from our people. Majority of the victim from Anfal are from our people too.
The Jaff people history with Talabani tribe and the Talabani Sheiks are not very good. We fight each other in the last century and beat them in that fight. Our people do not have very good history with people from Sulayminah city either because we supported the Iraq and Briton Government when Iraq was created.
We are facing the discriminations in many fronts. Mr. Jalal Talabani the current President of Iraq and His PUK organization runs the Jaff region. He is personally responsible for our miserable life. He is taking revenge because of his Talabani tribe past with us and he is encouraging his follower against our people.
They are discriminating against our people because of our origin as the Sassanian people.
We are appealing directly to you and your staff to send the fact-finding mission to our region to investigate what we are writing you about in this paper. They take most of the budget money and any charity money come in from overseas to Halabjah victims for themselves that is why our people revolted in Halabjah and burned the monuments.
The Iraqi Government does not have the authority any more in our region. We wrote the US Congress and US Government recently about the situation in our region. We are going to ask the Iranian opposition for protection and support of our people just like Turkmen people in Iraq are asking the protection from Turkey. The current Iranian Government is hostile to our people because they are allied with Mr. Talabani otherwise we asked them for the protection of our people.
We are suffering and thousand of us are sick, our people are dieing, the rate of dieing are very high. Mr. Talabani are not even cares and his Government in Sulayminah, Iraq are behind the plan he have for us. You have to visit the area and see by yourself what they did to our people in last 17 years. We are scared of his mafia organization to speak out openly and fear his son special police to kill our leadership.
The Barzani family has strategical agreement with Talabani Family to not interfere in each other area of administration. The KRG are run based on both family agreements.
Our yang people will join the Islamic extremist if these policies continue by Mr. Talabani and PUK organization.
Iraq Government are dead in the Kurdistan region. They not have any effect in the region.
In conclusion please interfere personally to safe our people.
Sincerely,
Jaff Sassani
From the SKDC
Mar-16-2008
jaff.skdc@googlemail.com
http://www.jaff-sassanie.com/Default.aspx
President Barzani meeting with the US Vice President Cheney in Kurdistan region of Iraq
The meetings are very good for both the US Government and KRG President if both sides realize the need of Kurdish population in the region.
The US Government needs to be forceful in their demand about the improvement of the welfare of the people in Kurdistan region they are really suffering from the Kurdish administration mismanagement.
President Barzani is promising to be part of the solution in Iraq. The US Government certainly can count on President Barzani's leadership to help them conclude a new strategic relationship between the United States and Iraq as well as advance crucial peaces of national legislation in the months ahead. He has been doing that with President Talabani since the day one. But the hardship and problem of the population in the KRG Region needs to be improved otherwise will explode on the face of President Barzani soon or later.
President Barzani can promise but delivery will be impossible when his populations are not happy what they are doing in last few years. The region are surrounded by Kurdish enemy in 360 degree as soon as they know that President Barzani and President Talabnai genuinely supporting the US forces then they will try to encourage the population to revolt against their rule in Kurdistan.
President Barzani needs to pay attention to the demand of the Kurdish people instead of ignoring the problem facing the population. His corrupt Government is getting weak among the Kurds. The Jaff regions are suffering more than any other region in Kurdistan in the Hand of President Talabani and his mafia in our region. Where is President Barzani, you can work day and night for the Arab union but when your own people not happy with your administration that will count later on. You need to pay attention to your people, wake up don’t be so proud with your small military power. The Shah of Iran did have very strong military power but he end up homeless.
Sincerely,
Jaff Sassani
From the SKDC
Mar-18-2008
jaff.skdc@googlemail.com
http://www.jaff-sassanie.com/Default.aspx
Post a Comment