Let’s Talk With Turkey
Iraq had no weapons of mass destruction in 2002. We went in anyway and created a big mess. At this point our country needs to salvage whatever we can from this colossal strategic blunder. That means we need to start playing to our strengths.
We should focus our efforts on developing better relations between two groups that apparently still trust us; Turkey and the Kurds. While the Turks and the Kurds have historically been antagonistic towards each other, they each have much to gain from a lasting peace agreement. And since Turkey is a NATO ally, we can enlist our other NATO allies to assist in the negotiations.
The United States needs positive news from Iraq. A peace agreement between Turkey and the Kurds would help us in several ways:
- It would improve our standing in the region and place the US in a favorable light in a Muslim country for a change.
- It would allow us to honorably withdraw our troops from northern Iraq.
- It would strengthen Turkey, a key NATO ally.
Turkey would also benefit greatly from a lasting peace treaty with the Kurds of northern Iraq.
- It would provide stability in their country and on their southern border.
- It would solidify their standing as a peaceful, stable democracy.
- It would allow them to move beyond old feuds, just as they have with other neighbors.
The Kurdish villages of northern Iraq would be the biggest winners of all.
- It would give them a chance to build the stable democracy and modern economy that they have always dreamed of, free from the tyranny of Saddam Hussein or any other dictator.
- It would allow them to use their oil wealth to create prosperity for the Kurdish people.
- It would give them new friends in a highly volatile region.
This deal just makes too much sense to not happen. And it’s not like Condolleeza Rice has been making a lot of headway elsewhere in the region.
Iraq, Turkey, Kurds, Turks, Kurdistan, foreign affairs, foreign policy, world affairs, democracy, Condoleezza Rice
November 12th, 2008 at 11:18 pm
pwr7rioe8hvi1ilc