Iraq and Turkey

Government of Turkey tried to undermine Iraqi Government and its PM Maliki before, but why? In the minds of GoT, the Kurdish question always looms large, and it thinks the Kurdish issue can be solved by outside means.

There is already the perception in some circles in Turkey that “Europeans see Kurdish issue as a Turkish problem, Americans see it as a Iraqi problem”. So GoT calculated that if by approaching Kurdish North who already had their issues with the Iraqi Government, who are close to the Americans, it would both play into the latter perception of the problem, and with military support from both Kurdish North and America, it would crush Kurdish militants inside her borders. Foreign oil interests did not care either way, as long as the oil was flowing, i.e. there is a strong US ally in the region who could deliver.

There were few problems with the approach of GoT. First of all, it is based on a supposition that it can turn problems into whatever shape or form by just believing. You cannot turn the Kurdish issue from a Turkish one into a Iraqi one by playing a few cards, or simply believing it is one way or another. The problems of Kurds in Turkey are the responsibility of the Turks in Turkey. Countless governments have fucked up so badly in the past that turned the issue into its present state today. Therefore the cure rests solely with the Turks.

Another side of the coin is that Kurdish North will try to keep its options open, try not to get tied to Turkey, and they will drag their feet on delivering the militants in a neat gift package. Barzani / Ankara relationship looked all nice on camera for a while, but let’s not forget, this is a man who once said “we won’t even turn over to you a Kurdish cat” at a time when some morons in Turkish bureucracy were in a nationalistic stupor on the issue making demands left and right, and generally talking out of their ass.

One last problem with the policy – it strengthens the perception Shiite and Sunni rivalry is on the rise, and that is not good, neither for Turkey or others in the region.

However you look at it, Turkey needs to stop undermining Iraq and start helping them. Internally it should focus on democracy.