Turks Demand Action, Not Words

News Type: Event — Seeded on Sat Nov 3, 2007 1:02 PM EDT

Article Source: mcclatchydc.com

world-news, iraq, bush, united-states, military, cheney, turkey, surge, gates, rumsfeld, condoleezza-rice, pkk, kurdish-regional-government, iraq-qar

Seeded by Jim Dent

ANKARA, Turkey — Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice on Friday branded the Kurdistan Workers' Party a "terrorist organization" and a "common enemy" of the United States, Turkey and Iraq, but she stopped short of committing Washington to military action against the guerrilla force.

Turkey has threatened to launch military operations against the group in Iraq alone if necessary, and Turkish officials indicated that they weren't satisfied by what Rice told them in talks Friday.

"This is where the words end, and the action needs to start," Foreign Minister Ali Babacan said. "Her words were good to hear, but words offer nothing new," said another government official, who requested anonymity because he isn't an authorized spokesman.

The Bush administration has assured Turkey at least four times that it would take action against the PKK, as it's known in its Kurdish initials, but hasn't done so, in part because there are no U.S. troops in Iraq available for such a mission.

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4.6

{"commentId":1153873,"authorDomain":"jimdent"}

Jim Dent

War fighting 101: Always maintain a reserve force capable of dealing with the inevitable contingencies that arise as a result of nation building.
Of course, the current occupant wouldn't know that, would he....

{"commentId":1153873,"threadId":"170996","contentId":"1070943","authorDomain":"jimdent"}

2 votes

#1 - Sat Nov 3, 2007 1:06 PM EDT

{"commentId":1154075,"authorDomain":"paperdragon"}

Dennis P. McCann

Yeah, well if the Americans and Iraqis don't do something about this the Turks will. And they've got 100,000 troops on the border with tanks, artillery, Apaches and F-16s to do it with.

{"commentId":1154075,"threadId":"170996","contentId":"1070943","authorDomain":"paperdragon"}

2 votes

#1.1 - Sat Nov 3, 2007 2:17 PM EDT

{"commentId":1154160,"authorDomain":"jimdent"}

Jim Dent

I suspect that before this is over, they'll have to take their own action. Bush seems unwilling (for whatever reason) to do anything.

{"commentId":1154160,"threadId":"170996","contentId":"1070943","authorDomain":"jimdent"}

1 vote

#1.2 - Sat Nov 3, 2007 2:44 PM EDT

{"commentId":1154289,"authorDomain":"paperdragon"}

Dennis P. McCann

Turkey has a problem with the PKK. Iran has the same problem with their sister organization, the PJAK. If Bush helps Turkey he'd also be helping Iran.

{"commentId":1154289,"threadId":"170996","contentId":"1070943","authorDomain":"paperdragon"}

1 vote

#1.3 - Sat Nov 3, 2007 3:33 PM EDT

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Kurds Promise Response to Turkish Strike	Associated Press	Sat Nov 3	0
US, Turkey, step up work against PKK terrorists	Turkishdailynews	Tue Nov 6	1
PKK Says Turkish Troops Set Free	AL JAZEERA	Sun Nov 4	1
Bush, Turkish PM Discuss Kurdish Rebels	Associated Press	Mon Nov 5	13
PKK rebels release Turkish troops	BBC News	Mon Nov 5	0

JIM DENT

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Turks Demand Action, Not Words

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