Disappointed with the weak show of support from America and Europe, Turkey is now looking further east for support for its planned operations in Iraq. And they need look no further than Iran, also battling its own Kurdish independence movement. Al Jazeera reports that the foreign ministers of Iran and Turkey are increasingly expressing their mutual interest in solving the problem:
In Iran, Babacan reiterated that threat, after his meeting with Manouchehr Mottaki, the Iranian foreign minister, but said it was one of many options. “We have different instruments. We can use diplomacy or we can resort to military means,” he said following talks with Mottaki. “All of these are on the table.”
“The Turkish people have lost their patience… We are asking all our friends to support us in this endeavour, our fight against terror.” Iran has in recent weeks been echoing Turkey’s frustration over the failure of the authorities in the north of Iraq to crack down on the PKK, though it has drawn short of backing an incursion.
Another Kurdish group, Party of Free Life of Kurdistan (PJAK), which is affiliated with the PKK, has been responsible for deadly attacks on security forces in northwestern Iran in recent months. “I think that we will be able to overcome these small grouplets,” Mottaki said. “There are various ways of going about this. We hope our co-operation will allow us to solve this as soon as possible.” Babacan thanked Iran for its help in fighting the PKK and said both foreign ministers had discussed continuing the co-operation during their meeting.
Failing to find Western support for an issue which is anyway a regional one, it is only natural Turkey has turned to a neighbor and one which also has a sizable Kurdish minority. Some may see this as continued proof of Turkey’s move eastwards and its subversion by Islamists. Turkey has been an integral part of the Middle East since the beginning of the Ottoman empire in the 1400s. The danger, however, is that if the West continues to fail to provide Ankara with support and reassure it about future support, Turkey may start forging more serious diplomatic ties with less than savory neighbors like Syria and Iran, both of whom are hostile to European and American interests.
The Turkish government is currently hoping to help quench its public’s thirst for action and to protect its regional interests. Though the situation is somewhat suspect and some of the current attacks have been nowhere near Iraq (often in the Tunceli region far away) and Turkey is likely pursuing ulterior motives, the Kurdish and PKK issue is nevertheless a top national concern. While the US and Iraq are unlikely to launch any large scale operation against the PKK for a number of reasons, publicly exhausting realistic options is vital for maintaining ties with Turkey and helping reassure her that a successful Kurdish region in Iraq is not a threat but potentially a positive external influence. Otherwise, though economically integrated in the West, we may indeed see a slow political drift eastwards should the West be chronically unable to fulfill Turkey’s needs.
We (meaning the U.S.) are seriously blowing it with Turkey. They’ve got their weird anti-American issues, but we could be providing them with a lot more outward support without double-crossing our Kurdish allies or making overt military moves.
I hope we are at least making super nicey behind closed doors, but I’m not holding my breath.
It is so sad that “Otherwise, though economically integrated in the West, we may indeed see a slow political drift eastwards should the West be chronically unable to fulfill Turkey’s needs.” is likely to be fulfilled. Turkey still has so much baggage (including its silly laws about what the press and others can write) that we must be patient as it finds its way into the 21 st century. But Turkey and the EU and USA have so much to gain from each other,,, the West should be generous and insensitive now because the long term relationship will be so vital… Lets welcome the Turks for what we share. not search for the things that might divide us….
First, esclating their Iranian front is very smart for the PKK. It opens them up as a useful tool for Americans, essentially assuring American neutrality.
Second, Turkey’s usefulness as an ally since the fall of the Soviet Union has been questionable. They were neutral in both Iraq Wars, provided only the use of their airspace. Further, Turkey’s opportunities for friendship with Iran is limited, as Ankara’s designs on the Caucuses and Central Asia naturally run her into the Tehran-Moscow axis.
Turkey’s potential for causing trouble is why we must keep them in our orbit. They are not as bad as Russia as an ‘ally,’ but, yes they do not match others in their cooperation.
I’d like to know what the Sunni Arabs think of the Turks now, I have now real sense of it. (I know the Syrians are no fans, but might make common cause against the Kurds).
Actually, after a while this looks like a patchwork mess thought up by some clever strategic game designer (or bad imperial treaty).
Its pathetic to see the USA turn a blind eye while a NATO ally is being attacked by a group the US state department considers. I wouldn’t be surprised at all if Turkey turns away from the US and forges a partnership with a country that would actually behave as an ally would, namely Russia or China. What on earth is our government thinking? That we dont enough enemies already that we have to alienate the few we do have?