Turkey prepares for full-scale invasion of Iraq
Submitted by gjohnsit on Tue, 11/01/2016 - 4:48pm
I'll admit that I didn't see this one coming.
Ankara is deploying heavy armor, including tanks to the border near Iraq, media reports say. Turkish Defense Minister has meanwhile said that the military will tackle potential “increase” of threats to the country...
"We will not allow the threat to Turkey to increase," Isik told broadcaster A Haber as cited by Reuters. Ankara has “no obligation” to wait until the fighters of the Kurdistan Workers Partry (PKK), considered by Turkey terrorists, will seize territories in Iraq's Sinjar region, around 115 km south of Silopi, Isik added.
Earlier in October, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu warned the PKK of using bases in northern Iraq, where its main bases are located. “If there is a threat posed to Turkey, we are ready to use all our resources including a ground operation to eliminate that threat,” Hurriyet daily news quoted the official as saying
The PKK did in fact liberate Sinjar from ISIS, and Turkey has invaded Iraqi Kurdistan before, but that isn't the only reason for Turkey's saber-rattling.
Turkey has warned it will intervene if Shia militias pushing towards ISIL's stronghold of Mosul commit atrocities in a northern Iraqi town with strong ethnic ties to the country.
Turkish President Tayyip Recep Erdogan on Sunday said Ankara - which already has a military presence in Iraq - would act if forces from the Popular Mobilisation Units (PMU) abuse civilians in their fight for the town of Tal Afar.
Also known as Hashid Shaabi, PMU is paramilitary umbrella organisation dominated by Iran-backed Shia militia. Erdogan said Turkish forces would step in if the militias "unleash terror" on Tal Afar, which they are preparing to seize from ISIL fighters.
Tal Afar is inhabited by Turkmen - an ethnic group with strong cultural and historical links to Turkey.
"Tal Afar is a very sensitive issue for us. We definitely do not regard it [Shia militia involvement] positively in Tal Afar and Sinjar," Erdogan said.
That's a big problem, because the Popular Mobilisation Units (PMU) hold significant political power in Iraq.
The PMUs are also guilty of ethnic cleansing of Sunnis, torture, chopping off heads of prisoners, and terrorism.
The Iraq v Turkey clash has been building for months.
The dispute between Ankara's Sunni leadership and Baghdad's Shi'ite government was first sparked in December 2015 when Turkey deployed more than a thousand troops to a base near the town of Bashiqa, 24 kilometers from Mosul, to train a 3,000-men-strong Sunni militia led by a former governor of Mosul, Atheel al-Nujaifi, who is at odds with Baghdad.
Turkish officials see the Sunni militia being trained as a counterweight to Iran-influenced Shi’ite militias Baghdad has depended on in the fight against IS militants...
Baghdad considers Turkey’s presence on its soil a violation of sovereignty and has appealed to the United Nations to compel Turkey to withdraw from Iraq. Haider al-Abadi, Iraq's prime minister, has warned that the standoff risks "triggering a regional war.”
Ankara’s ambitions in northern Iraq seem to be much greater than just ensuring Mosul remains a Sunni city, some analysts say. What is driving Ankara is fear of growing Iranian influence on Iraq - an influence it wants to reduce by encouraging the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) to break away from Iraq and form an independent Kurdish state.
Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi warned Turkish forces not to invade Iraq or it will “pay a heavy price.”
Comments
"I didn't see this one coming."
Ugh...I did.
Sometimes I wonder, "what if those Millenialists were right?" It's going to be a hot one, regardless.
"I’m a human being, first and foremost, and as such I’m for whoever and whatever benefits humanity as a whole.” —Malcolm X
Americans cannot imagine
a country with a sizable ethnic minority within that has closer religious and fraternal ties to its neighbours than to its own "country".
Most Americans, including the leadership, still imagine that the Turkish Kurds should think of themselves as Turks, the Iraqi Kurds as Iraqis, etc.
There is zero understanding, even at the highest level, of the Sunni/Shi'a split, its history, development, and current "playing out."
This profound misapprehension is not helpful to any solution to this problem.
There are known knowns; there are things we know we know. We also know there are known unknowns; that is to say we know there are some things we do not know. But there are also unknown unknowns – the ones we don't know we don't know.
British borders
In other words, perpetually honor the borders drawn by Britain and France, for their own aggrandizement, in 1919. Never mind the actual nationalities dwelling there or the actual borders drawn by those peoples.
"US govt/military = bad. Russian govt/military = bad. Any politician wanting power = bad. Anyone wielding power = bad." --Shahryar
"All power corrupts absolutely!" -- thanatokephaloides
The British misconception of near east realities
filled the cauldron with shit. Dumbya lit the Fire and Hopey-Changey began stirring the pot.
Exactly so.
But all the Allies were to blame, see Sykes-Picot agreement where the main purpose was to secure ME oil for the West without having to pay a farthing/red cent/groschen/sou.
There are known knowns; there are things we know we know. We also know there are known unknowns; that is to say we know there are some things we do not know. But there are also unknown unknowns – the ones we don't know we don't know.
Good point.
I can't think of any analysis I have seen that traces the current instability in the ME to the complete disingenuous-ness of the borders drawn by the 'Great' Powers in the wake of WWII. Because of course to even consider that this might be an issue would be to admit that what "those people" think really mattered. Can't have that.
"What is our oil...
doing under your sands"
No, not americans, but dubya it was dubya
who didn't know the difference, Yale educated and all
I never knew that the term "Never Again" only pertained to
those born Jewish
"Antisemite used to be someone who didn't like Jews
now it's someone who Jews don't like"
Heard from Margaret Kimberley
Oh, the American empire’s foreign policy elite can imagine it
Perhaps they don’t acknowledge it in the face they show the (low-information) general public.
The elite’s “private position” is, to go in and exploit such opportunities to foment instability when it suits their purposes.
We are in the business of mass murder
All of our "interventions" have shown this.
The US military buys US made weapons.
Our allies buy US made weapons.
We give US made weapons to terrorists and other combatants using US tax dollars, etc.
Why are these weapons needed? You know the answer to that already.
"War is a racket." Smedley Butler, General, USMC
For some people/corporations a very profitable racket indeed.
"You can't just leave those who created the problem in charge of the solution."---Tyree Scott
There is nothing as good as being
the "neutral" arms dealer, who will sell their murderous goods to all and sundry who have the ca$h on hand to pay.
There are known knowns; there are things we know we know. We also know there are known unknowns; that is to say we know there are some things we do not know. But there are also unknown unknowns – the ones we don't know we don't know.
The entire Middle East is on fire because we destabilized it.
We've been working on it for a long long time, starting with Iran in 1953. Between the US and Great Britain we've destroyed the lives of millions of people and locked them out of the world's economy while we took control of their biggest asset, their oil. That's all we've ever really cared about, how to get OUR oil out from under THEIR homeland.
So, how's thing going to work? Is the US going to stand behind Erdogan hoping that he can solve the Iraqi problem for us, or are we going to do the right thing and tell him to back off? (Forget about any defense of the Kurds, we've always seen them as expendable pawns anyway.)
Erdogan's not been too friendly to the West lately, especially when it comes to Syria. Turkey wants to rebuild the Ottoman Empire and that's a problem. He's also talking to the Russians now, and if he doesn't get his way, he's got a new BFF waiting in the background.
Lay this mess at the feet of bush**/cheney and everyone who voted for Shock and Awe. And that includes Hellery,especially Hellery. Because she also gave us Syria and Libya to go with our Middle Eastern Military Madness.
I don't see any good way out of this mess unless we pack up and leave, and we all know that sure as hell isn't going to happen.
I'm tired of this back-slapping "Isn't humanity neat?" bullshit. We're a virus with shoes, okay? That's all we are. - Bill Hicks
Politics is the entertainment branch of industry. - Frank Zappa
Amanda, great comment (and great song choice)
But I think you must turn the clock further back on the Wayback machine to 1919 when the Brits fucked up the near east (with help from the French).
Thank you very much and you're right, I DIDN'T go back
far enough.
What is even more disgusting and discouraging is that we've done this around the world. We've sent corporations into Central/South America and backed governments to support us 100% up to AND INCLUDING their own people. We killed millions in Vietnam because out bowels get all runny at the very whisper of the word 'communist'. Hell, we betrayed our own during a witch hunt for commie pinko anarchist subversives. Now we're diddling Iraq for its oil, Afghanistan for rare earths and a pipeline, Africa because it's sooo much is still unexploited and loaded with goodies yet to be found... bwahahahahaha! God Bless America.
It makes me just want to scream.
I'm tired of this back-slapping "Isn't humanity neat?" bullshit. We're a virus with shoes, okay? That's all we are. - Bill Hicks
Politics is the entertainment branch of industry. - Frank Zappa
Every time you turn around
you get bitten on the nether-regions for the mess you continue to create.
It's been said many times before: Get the fuck out of the middle east.
We have the ability to get off oil. We have the ability to help, instead of hinder world progress.
Whew. That Blue Dream Haze sure is good.
What a dream.
Regardless of the path in life I chose, I realize it's always forward, never straight.
“Hope is a waking dream.” ― Aristotle
"We have the ability to get off oil. We have the ability to help, instead of hinder world progress."
I'm tired of this back-slapping "Isn't humanity neat?" bullshit. We're a virus with shoes, okay? That's all we are. - Bill Hicks
Politics is the entertainment branch of industry. - Frank Zappa
“Hope is a waking dream.” ― Aristotle
"We have the ability to get off oil. We have the ability to help, instead of hinder world progress."
I'm tired of this back-slapping "Isn't humanity neat?" bullshit. We're a virus with shoes, okay? That's all we are. - Bill Hicks
Politics is the entertainment branch of industry. - Frank Zappa
Yes!
"Get the fuck out of the middle east."
Or as Howard Zinn once said in an excellent speech (which must be heard rather than read), we should "cut and run"
Turkey going 'Full Ottoman'?
After all, this was all 'home' territory prior to WWI.
Gëzuar!!
from a reasonably stable genius.
I'm still waiting...
for that Democracy Bush & Co. promised would break out all over the Middle East once we liberated Iraq.
Libya was a great example
or so I was told, until recently. Iraq too.
The real fun starts when we bring "democracy" and NATO membership to Uzbekistan, stay tuned!
"Obama promised transparency, but Assange is the one who brought it."
Awesome good news!
We'll be selling more arms to Turkey Iraq and the Kurds, along with whatever we lose or give to jihadis of various kinds. But it is a failure of our efforts that we aren't selling weapons to the Syrians. Somebody in State has to get on that!
Orwell: Where's the omelette?
Israeli foreign policy has been a complete success.
With our help, of course.
It's become almost impossible to keep track of the Muslim vs. Muslim conflicts in the ME.
Well as to the situation map,
Well as to the situation map. Looks like Daesh is putting most of its forces against the Iraqi Army on the Eastern front. Refugees are most heading for the Peshmarga background areas.There are At least 33,000 thousands of them escaped the city. If you watch the MSM I guess all refugees are cute little orphaned boys and girls with an occasional old lady tossed in.
The Kurds are secular and it has been said that the only hope for a peaceful Mosul after Daesh has their ugly faces smashed in is to come under Kurdish control... because they are secular and protect everyone.
Nevertheless, like it has been said that the Kurds are not allowed into Mosul City. So, what is the only fighting force worth a shit supposed to do, sit on their thumbs and polish their WW I rifles?
I won't be surprised if Turkey attacks the Kurds from behind. In fact, I expect it. Fuck the Turks, I have been following their genocide against the Kurds for years and I sincerely hope the Kurds rise up in Eastern "Turkey" and kick Erdagon in the ass.
Sitation Map November 1 http://www.edmaps.com/html/battle_for_mosul__november_1__.html
Here is what is being reported as USA made missles captured from Daesh by the Iraqi Army. Now if we could follow up the serial numbers we might be able to find out just who is selling the such items. How ironic that American goon squads can be getting killed by American made weapons. And vote for the bugged eyed cackler.
When these Daesh goat fuckers are killed by Peshmarga women lets hope that the only thing they find in hell are endless looped reruns of Albright/Kissinger porno vids
Free Kurdistan!
From the Light House.
One thing I love about you're comments and essays,
is that you bar no holds.
You can be very dark, as all can. Yet you express it in ways that are not offensive by language but by thought.
Well done.
Regardless of the path in life I chose, I realize it's always forward, never straight.
Manipulation
If you remember what the USA did to our countries in South and Central America during my life time. Dirty Wars, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Panama, Columbia, Grenada, Cuba, Haiti, Guyana. . . you will understand just how offensive I find stinking armed bullies. I hate all fucking political and armed goons.
I found this bit of propaganda to be some how (sincerely) touching:
Back in Aleppo there is Bana Alabed, a nine year old tweeter who has to be a very experienced and adorable actress (probably located in Denmark) who supposedly tweets, in perfect English, from inside the Al Nusra controlled part of the city.
I am sincerely happy that the girls in pink are free of religious fiends, and wherever Bana is I hope she is safe from harm and has a long future career in the movies. But, I get thoroughly sick of being a target of manipulation by this stuff. Being told to love war because I want to see children safe.
From the Light House.
It’s Hill and Knowlton PR and the Kuwaiti ambassador’s daughter
with her fabricated story about incubator babies . . . all the way down.
Total control of the mass media by a small group gives them the platform whereby we, the general public, as a first-order approximation perceive only the simulated political virtual reality they want us to see.
Nowadays that’s the first thing you have to assume.
Agree. n/t
the little things you can do are more valuable than the giant things you can't! - @thanatokephaloides. On Twitter @wink1radio. (-2.1) All about building progressive media.
Maybe you can explain something...
This quote:
I find the suggestion that Turkey wants the northern part of Iraq to break off and become an independent Kurdistan quite dubious.
Since forever, it seems, Turkey, Iran, and Iraq have all shared the same desire to crush the ambitions of the Kurdish people to create their own state, since all three countries would lose territory if the greater ambitions of the Kurdish rebels were ideally fulfilled.
So now somebody is saying that Turkey wants an independent Kurdish state on its southern border? Would this not give the Turkish branch of the Kurdish independence movement a safe haven from which to launch attacks on the Turkish army?
It just doesn't make any sense, on the face of it...
James Kroeger
Turkey has a purpose.
What good are the Kurds if they can't be controlled? Put their state just south of the border and see how they are treated by the Turkish government.
And you're worried about the Kurds attacking the Turks?
You really need to study the ancient relationships as in who is less trustworthy.
You also need to really look at what is causing the most turmoil in the region. It's not them. It's U.S.
Regardless of the path in life I chose, I realize it's always forward, never straight.
Actually...
I don't give a damn about the Turkish army.
And I'm definitely not making any judgments about who is more trustworthy.
I'm simply trying to make sense of this report/observation/analysis which seems to contradict what I've read about all the players in the region over the past few decades.
How nice of you to identify me as an enemy that you should go out of your way to attack...
James Kroeger
You're absolutely right
It makes no sense at all, but remember it's VOA. They have their hands full resolving the cognitive dissonance that American foreign policy induces.
The short answer is that they are actively screwing over the Kurds, but they don't want to admit that yet.
"Obama promised transparency, but Assange is the one who brought it."
Also prepare to be
tagged and bagged for the T-Day dinner tables.
the little things you can do are more valuable than the giant things you can't! - @thanatokephaloides. On Twitter @wink1radio. (-2.1) All about building progressive media.
T-bagged for the dinner tables?
T-bagged for the dinner tables?
We don't celebrate or feast on the so-called day of peace between the pilgrims and the natives of north america.
Custer had it coming.
Regardless of the path in life I chose, I realize it's always forward, never straight.
T-bagging means
something different where I come from
(ducks)
There is no such thing as TMI. It can always be held in reserve for extortion.
1960 Number One hit novelty song (not PC by today’s standards)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mr._Custer
Cognitive dissonance between the comedy song and the humorless historical visuals.
'Preventive' war, anyone?
"Ankara has “no obligation” to wait until the fighters of the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), considered by Turkey terrorists, will seize territories in Iraq's Sinjar region.... “If there is a threat posed to Turkey, we are ready to use all our resources including a ground operation to eliminate that threat,” Hurriyet daily news quoted the official as saying""
There is no threat posed by the PKK to Turkey in the case outlined. What could possibly justify their interposition of force? The US bears a good deal of responsibility for this behavior, in my view, after we abused that justification to go to war in Iraq in 2003.
As for Erdogan's Turkey, ugh. Born in a fit of ethnic cleansing, and now returning to it? Why are so many supposedly modern, civilized nations regressing to bellicose posturing redolent of the fin-de-siecle?
Turkey, showing itself in the borders of the late Ottoman Empire
In this German newspaper editorial in solidarity with arrested Turkish journalists and the 93-year old newspaper Cumhuriyet — now threatened by closure — it’s mentioned that
Erdogan’s not even bothering any more to hide his aim of re-annexing territory to Make Turkey Great Again.
Ah, the West — outraged by a Trump; sucking up to an Erdogan.
I have written elsewhere quite a few times that
Turkey will stop at nothing to crush the Kurds.
This seems ironic as hell:
an influence it wants to reduce by encouraging the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) to break away from Iraq and form an independent Kurdish state.
If I were a Kurd, I wouldn't trust Turkey as far as I could throw it.
"More for Gore or the son of a drug lord--None of the above, fuck it, cut the cord."
--Zack de la Rocha
"I tell you I'll have nothing to do with the place...The roof of that hall is made of bones."
-- Fiver