OPINION
Friday 25th of July 2008 11:30:40 PM  GMT+2 
 

 

Army could have sealed the Iraqi border before

Turkey should have sealed off its borders to the PKK long ago. We did not need American help in northern Iraq or air raids against the terrorist camps to start taking measures. Why didn't anyone take these measures is an important question that needs to be answered.


Ilnur Cevik
14 January 2008

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ilnurcevik@yahoo.com

In a recent TV program which this columnist also attended Nationalist Movement Party Deputy Deniz Bolukbasi asked a very legitimate question: If the United States was capable of monitoring and then handing over such vital intelligence to Turkey on PKK movements in northern Iraq why didn't the Americans help Turkey before and why did they wait until November?

No one has been able to answer this question in a satisfactory manner but we say "let bygones be bygones." What is important now is that we have full American backing and Turkey is receiving real time intelligence to effectively deal with PKK presence in northern Iraq. Beyond that the U.S. has opened Iraqi airspace to Turkey which allowed us to carry out air raids against PKK hideouts.

Now the Turkish army is moving ahead with plans to seal off the borders with northern Iraq by stationing tanks in all major hilltops which are equipped with heat seekers and other censors that can detect the approach of PKK militants from Iraqi territory. Military patrols have been increased and the place is flooded with 100,000 troops. The PKK will now have a very hard time trying to infiltrate into Turkey.

As a matter of fact as soon as there is any kind of PKK movement in northern Iraq the Americans inform Turkey and Turkish fighter planes raid the area. Meanwhile, Turkish artillery also goes into action thus making life hell for the terrorist. This is what we all wanted and we are happy to get.

What is sad is that in 2004 we were also enjoyed a similar situation where the borders were effectively sealed off and the PKK could not move into Turkey.

So what really happened after that? We feel it is up to our military leaders toe explain all this

Besides we feel the current massive measures to seal off the borders could have been taken long ago. It did not need American approval or it did not need a Turkish parliamentary motion allowing Turkish forces to enter northern Iraq. What is being done today is being done on Turkish territory.

These measures could have been taken months ago… Did anyone prevent the military from doing this? We know no body did that so what has happened?

Too many lives have been lost in the past year as the PKK accelerated its terrorist actions. The Turkish public has been pushed into a state of revolt in view of these attacks so much so that anti-Kurdish sentiment had reached a peak a few months ago. Funerals were used effectively to create ethnic enmity. Are we mistaken?

All Artices of Ilnur Cevik



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