Editor's Note: Soner Cagaptay is a Senior Fellow at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy and is the co-author, with Scott Carpenter, of Regenerating the U.S.-Turkey Partnership.
By Soner Cagaptay – Special to CNN
The Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) will dominate the news in the coming days. The PKK, a group known for its violent attacks against Turkey, is fast becoming part of the new trilateral power game between Turkey, Iran and Syria as Bashar al Assad cracks down on demonstrators in his country.
In the 1990s, Iran, whose authoritarian regime disliked secular Turkey next door, asked Syria to harbor the PKK so it could attack Ankara to hurt Turkey’s standing as the political antidote to Iran.
Then, Turkey, Iran and Syria all became friends with the rise of the Justice and Development Party (AKP) in Turkey. The PKK issue disappeared, or so it appeared.
Turkey and Syria started a dialogue after Ankara forced the Assad regime to stop harboring the PKK. Turkey massed troops on its border with Syria in 1998. Turkey did not fire a single bullet, but the very credible threat of use of force convinced Assad to change his behavior.
Then with the start of the Iraq War in 2003, Turkey and Iran became, in a sense, friends. Alarmed by the U.S. military presence to its east in Afghanistan and to its west in Iraq, Tehran concluded that it needed to win its neighbor Turkey to break the grip of the U.S.-led ring of isolation forming around it. Iranian support for the PKK ended, as if cut with a knife, the day U.S. troops started landing in Iraq.
Eight years later, Tehran is re-evaluating its strategic environment. With U.S. troops leaving Iraq and Iran gaining influence there, Tehran feels that it can act differently towards Turkey.
Meanwhile, Turkey emerged as the key opponent of the Syrian regime’s brutal crackdown. It has threatened action against Assad if the killing does not stop. In response, Damascus has decided to make things difficult for Turkey. U.S. and Turkish officials suggest that the Syrian regime once again allows PKK activity on its territory.
Since Damascus knows that it would almost certainly face a Turkish invasion if it were to allow PKK attacks from its territory into Turkey, it has turned to its ally Tehran for assistance.
Tehran, already annoyed that Turkey is trying to push it out of Iraq, has been glad to help. Iran desperately needs to end Turkey’s policy of confronting Assad. If not countered, this policy will usher in the end of the Assad regime in Syria, costing Iran its precious Levantine client state. Hence, Iran’s age-old strategy against Turkey has been resuscitated: using the PKK to attack Ankara from another country in order to pressure Turkey.
Accordingly, since the beginning of the summer, the PKK has attacked Turkey from Iraq, killing almost 100 Turks as well as kidnapping dozens of people.
Thus forms the Middle Eastern “PKK circle”: the more people Assad kills, the more hardline Turkey’s policies will become against Syria. This will, in turn, drive Iranian-Syrian action against Turkey through PKK attacks from Iraq. PKK attacks will rise.
Turkey, Iran and the Assad regime are locked in a power game over Syria’s future. Either Ankara will win and Assad will fall, or Tehran will win and Ankara, hurt by PKK attacks, will throw in the towel and let Syria be.
The views expressed in this article are solely those of Soner Cagaptay.
© 2012 Cable News Network. Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
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The last time I heard something about blocking te internet access, was China blocking Google. Bad boys.
However, nobody cared, except Google, US government, most of the western world and guess who, all those who cared more for the Free Speech, censorship and throw in some righteous indignation over them Chinese commies.
Poor Damascus, bad boys. Haven't you heard the thingy about Free Speech? It ain't exactly free. However other Muslim countries may send articles, contraband articles in America, free to you. Use them, freely. It is your country, not an American territory.
...and I am Sid Harth@arabuhuru.com
I am asking CNN why dont you pay attention to Bahrain and saudi arabia, killing people in those land is not important?
The PKK is a rag tag organization of cut throats and thieves who's daily life begins with rubbery. They are stooges of foreign government and the highest bidder, which at this time it is us. We will use these poor people to cause mayhem for other parties involved, Iran, Syria and Turkey and will use them to do our bargaining with these countries.
President of Iraq, NOT the Prime Minister Nuri Almalikie, but the president is Kurdish and he knows who he is dealing with. He has had his battles with PKK way back, where in the 70th and 80th they were doing Saddam's killing for him. That is why they don't care much for this bunch and who kills them.
Get real.
Stupid article because the PKK also attacks Iran.
kurds are montain goats the PKK are killers and terrörists
Turks are donkeys they. Need to go back where they come from Mongolia .
The Kurds – with approx. 30 million all over the world – are the largest ethnie in the world without a state of their own, around 18 million in Turkey, 7 million in Iran and ditto in Iraq, 1.8 million in Syria. The Kurds have their region – Kurdistan, which touches Iran, Iraq, Syria and Turkey and a long history of culture. Achieving statehood has always been their goal. The Turkish PKK under Abdullah Öcalan was a real threat to Turkey in the 1990's and Öcalan was one of the world's most wanted men. Turkey was on good terms with Israel then and with the help of the Mossad, Öcalan was captured in Nairobi in 1999. He was flown to Turkey, where he was tried. Instead of death penalty, he got a life sentence.
The point is that PKK also attacks Iran - a well known fact - but this article pretends PKK is in cahoots with Iran. Ridiculous. At least the author should have made some effort to explain the glaring contradiction.
Occasionally the Kurds are treated as punchbags by the nationals of the countries, in which they reside.
Thank you for an informative article. It appears the Kurds are not just a band of terrorist but
a people trying to obtain their homeland. Perhaps the current turmoil will work in their favor[
and they will be able to obtain support from one side and achieve their goal.
The Kurdish problem with the racist Ottomans and then Turks is there since centuries and not the product of the newly established nation states Syria and Iran. The Kurdish problem should be solved peacefully by the western pressure on the Turkish racist regime. Otherwise, more catastrophes against innocents Kurds are coming. Similarly to the genocides of millions of Armenians, Bulgarian and Balkaninan Christians by Turksh racists.
WAR, WAR, WAR.......
War, wars and warriors.
What is Third World War means?
Didn't yet happened?
Between the Year 1991(the Gulf War) until now, more than Million Civilians and Armies died. But, doesn't these filled the blank of WWIII? With all advanced Weapons?
Weather you accept it or not, we are heading into WWIV.
This article is full of lies intending to create a tense environment in the region to benefit certain parties (Saudi Arabia, US, Israel, GCC nations) to divert Arab springs from boiling over in Saudi Arabia, & divert attention from the brutal massacre of Saudi forces in Bahrain. Also try to bring Israel closer to Turkey like before by using the Kurds. At the same time increase pressure on Iran & Syria the 2 major adversaries of the US & Israel in the region. As for the Saudis I'd say that the "Spring" is headed your way & the Saudi Royal family will face the most brutal & bloody destiny at the hands of their own people. As for Turkey & Iran, the 2 power houses in that region are fully aware of this gimmick of the US/Israeli scheme & won't fall for it. They need each other's cooperation in many areas in that neck of the wood. I can't believe CNN is paying this guy Cagaptay for such shallow & childish scenario writing of propaganda.
like it
Good comment.
I get very nauseated every time I hear people touting what "good" people these Turks are. If they're so "good" then why did they slaughter over 1.8 million Armenians back in 1915? And why are they so devoted to the right-wing thugs in Washington and why don't they grant the Kurds the independence they so richly deserve???
From memory this claim has gone to court every time it was found to in Turkeys favour. The courts in the Hague have rejected the claim based on lack of credible evidence, Armenia refusal to open archives to prove their claim. Heck if I knew I was right I would be opening those doors as wide as I could. Historians require proof that is why they are never asked, Politicians on the other hand just give them votes and they will do what ever you want. Main reason Lobby groups pressure politicians who needs proof right?
The main reason the courts always ruled in Turkey's favor is the simple fact that there have been too many back-room between the politicians and the judges at the Hague. The simple fact that only people from third world countries have ever been prosecuted for so-called "crimes against humanity" there speaks for itself. The U.S., Great Britain and France owns this court lock, stock and barrel!!!
It is difficult to comprehend, that Syrian Kurds do not have even Passports
In Turkey, Kurds do have same rights as any other Turkish citizen and they are good people too.
If Iran "does not like" Turkey, should watch for it's citizens, because last time I check, Iranians were flooding our streets.
Obviously Iranians like the secular way of life, way better than Ahmedinejdat's.
And Syria is playing with fire
maybe the Azeri's which make up 1/3 of their population want independence?
Turkey is Western Armenia and Assyria. Armenia loves the PKK.
Kurds have the same rights as Turks, as long as they don't study or talk Kurdish in official places and do not talk about the historic lands and past ethnic cleansing they faced by the Turks, very simple stuff that any nation would accept to forget in exchange for EQUALITY..........hum mm mm.
you know that There are Kurdish language schools, Kurdish language TVs, Kurdish language Radios, Kurdish language civil organisations, Kurdish language political parties right...
Turkish teerorist state will never win the war against PKK, because PKK is kurds people and they are fighting against turkish teerorist state which is back round of Ottman genocide empire . NATO ,USA and turkish teerorist state will be defeted , because kurds are fighting for freedom and their homelan.No one in region can use kurds or PKK for their intersit and you were wrong if you thing kurds or PKK would be used by Iran or Syria, as i said to you PKK is people and they will fight the enemies where they are until kurds get their homeland back and defet the enemies.
Sam, please learn to write basic English before you post on this news blog or any other for that matter. No one will read you poorly written verbiage.
You ignorant Mongolian so called Turkey will join the motherland Armania.Your days are numbered.
People without basic knowledge of history shouldn't even speak terrorist everywhere hamas al qaide and pkk will be destroyed and everyone who supports them for world peace no mercy for terrorists
Turkey’s Islamic Government are not friend of Israel and USA
PKK are not an ally of Iran and Syria in the upcoming war in the region. Turkey’s Islamist Governments are trying to revive Ottoman Empire by using the US and EU.
Kurd wants to be friend of the US, EU and Israel but so far the US and EU preferring friendship with Islamist of Turkey instead of Aryan Kurds under the leadership of PKK.
Time will tell that the US and EU are wrong, supporting Islamist Turkey are going to bring more problem for the US and EU interest in Middle East and Asia. Islamist Turkey are using the US and EU.
Islamist PM of Turkey is an ally of Islamic terrorist organization in the Arab world. Turks are standing up against Israel and Jews today and they are going to stand up against the US and EU tomorrow.
PM of Turkey was trying to use Shi’a Iran and the US but Islamic Shi’a of Iran is aware of his double face policies.
PKK are not part of Iran and Turkey’s conflict in Syria.
PKK are seeking peace for Kurds within Turkey and the region.
Hamma Mirwaisi
Member of the Kurdistan National Congress (KNK),
Representative of KNK in America
And the author of the book, “Return of the Medes”.
Majority of Kurdish people are tribal people and they will continue to think and live this way as evidence of this guys post. If the Kurds want rights, then ask for them as a basic human being, instead of trying to kill your own people.
Turksi mean Mongolian are not civilized people Yilmaz please read real Turkish history not the fake history gov teaches you ignorant people.please google Armenia and Assyria and Kurds.Soon so called Turkey will join motherland .
"PKK are seeking peace for Kurds within Turkey and the region." seriously ??? By killing teachers ? By killing civilians ?By forcing local Kurds to support them? By human and drug trafficking to EU? By using young Kurds below age of 18 to kill their own and Turkish brothers?
So you claim to be a "Aryan Kurd" ..How Hitler of you...! You should be ashamed by these remarks and stop working as a Member of the Kurdistan National Congress (or whatever you claim you are working for).
You are living in a dream world. You think that PKK is made of romantic freedom fighters...Wake up and look at its financial structure. Analyse where their camps are, where their arms and other logistic support is coming from. Only then you can make a healthy analysis.
Turkish teerorist state on 19 /10/2011 used chemical weapons against PKK fighter , this weapons are illigal and should not be use in a war according to international law, but turkish teerorist state used this weapons and other illiage weapons too, and there evdeince with PKK bodies which are now in Malatya hospital.This weapons used before too under same higher turkish teerorist comander . This teeririst state are non muslim state and they are making propaganda in the name of islam, so they could control the region. USA are supporting this teerorist state and trying to establih this policy so they could control medilleast countries.The region should be aware of this danager and fight back and do not let this teerorist state under name of islam falsly control the region.This teerorist state is a back round of Ottman genocide empire and it is acting at was genocide but in modern way to cheat region people psycologicly.
English 101 is a good place to start your education. And another one is History 101, from what I can interpret, you seem to not know anything about history either.
My dear Yilmaz,
I just finished English 101. So I going to give it to you straight, stop yapping about how much English you and how deficient the others are when they disagree with you.
Recollecting my history 101, neglecting basic human rights of minorities would be a mistake. I was born in Iran and I feel discriminating against any ethnicity whether Kurdish, Azari, Arab etc. or adherants to any religion or non-religion be it Christianity, Jewdisim, Islam, Baha'i, atheist or devil worshiper for what I care; is wrong and has no place on this plant or in universe. NO NATIONALITY OR ETHNICITY IS BETTER THAN ANOTHER. WE ARE ALL HUMAN BEINGS WE HAVE MANY THINGS IN COMMON, A LOT MORE THAN WHAT YOU THINK.
If you notice any grammatiQal or speLing error, I apologize. That would be English 102! : )
What the author doesn't know is that a new strategic vector is going to change the Syria/Iran/Turkey equation: the Rossi E-Cat. Iran's oil revenue is going to collapse because now we can turn nickel into heat very cheaply, and incidentally cleanly. Roughly Ni+H=Cu+heat, making nickel half a million times as energy dense as oil.
With a bankrupted Iran, Syria will lose critical support for the Assad regime, and Turkey will be ascendant. Of course you don't perceive this Black Swan event, nor can you imagine the ultimate ramifications, but simply stated Iran's current minority supported religious regime is doomed, the Assad regime is screwed, and Turkey will step into the power vacuum.
Have to laugh at Brad's post.
What I can see from all of these discussions, honestly feel that ,again and again our people either Kurds , Persian ,Arabs ,Turks , Syrians are going to play a scenario which has been well designed by Israel and the Israeli lobbyist in US .
The peace and prosper in the region and strong countries such as Iraq/Iran and Turkey or Syria are against their aim
When they see their ambitious in the danger by having strong and friendly countries in the region , they will start encouraging violence to can gain again from raising up small ethnic differences . So all our people has to be well aware of the intentions behind these terrorist acts which I am sure the root will end up to Tel Aviv , and do not scarify their own people and the peace and prosper of our own beloved countries and people , with short seeing of the future .
Like Onesmallvoice above, I too get quite nauseated at looking at all these blogs by these ignorant people touting these horrific, barbaric Turks!!! As a Kurd, I actually suffered under their rule so which one of you ignoramuses here would like to trade places with me???
You can ask this same question to your Kurdish brothers in Turkey voting for AKP. Just because you suffered (which I do honestly believe) does not make a whole nation and its people barbaric. Anyone living in the poor eastern part of Turkey is suffering still but things do not get better by killing teachers or villagers by PKK. Get a grip of reality and move on and try to make a difference.
Diversity is palpable in Turkey
Any civilized human being can see that
Rats like from Joe Stalin 2011 can identify with Syrian Rats. Russia supports rats and vermon and Syria sucks up to the big Rat Putin.
Why do the nations rage and the poeple's plot in vain?
toibry.blog.com
Kurds donot differentiate between Turkey, iran, or syria and see these three countries as occupiers who oppress Kurds..but amoung the three Turkish regime treat Kurdish people worst as Turkey donot recognise Kurdish language and culture
Dario,
You do not know much about the rights of citizens in Turkey. Kurds in Turkey currently are in better shape than any other in the region. It is true that Kurdish language was barred in the past but as a developing country both in economy and rights of its people Turkey is much better than its past and definetely better than all in the region. Kurdish is not just allowed in Turkey but there are also "more" Kurdish members in the parliament (in the governing and opposition parties), private and government owned Kurdish Radio and TV channels and Kurdish courses and even PM himself did utter a few words in Kurdish in the past( which itsaelf was a big taboo). So it is getting better everyday not because PKK is killing Kurds and Turks but because like every democracy it doesn't happen in one day. So all this hatred and nearly racism towards Turks from so called "humanists" in this blog is not acceptable or just.
in Turkey Kurds can be an MP, minister even a president but not Kurdish..they can only gain posts if they deny their Kurdishness during there work.,an example is last year when the bdp MP spoke kurdish the state TV stopped broadcasting..
like bro, why dont we sniff some hashish and call it a day.....
Recognition of the Turkish Genocide of Armenians, Assyrians, and Greeks. Turks are a bunch of rapists.
Quite true indeed, but that you'll never hear from the right-wing thugs in Washington!!!
you should be aware that PKK are not equal to Kurds, Kurds are living their lives and don't like PKK. Turkey has tried to improve Kurds status but the measures have not been enough. Had Ataturk given Kurds their rights in the first place terrorist organizations would have not threatened Turkey or any other country. PKK is a menace to Iran and Turkey and this is not an opnion you can check last year's news for instace. It is a shame that most of you generalize people and judge them, how can all Turks or Kurds or Arabs or Persians or other ethnicities be bad or good, we all need to learn to value democracy even if it is against our own benefit. US or UK or other western countries have not learnt this since they did not accept Hamas' victory in Gaza some time ago. We are all muslims and Islam does not care about one's ethnicity. Quran even accepts people of holy books (christians and Jews) as people we can negotiate with. why can't we negotiate with each other?
Start a war already!!!! Towels vs Towels. Go for it.
No doubt that Turkey will win in Syria -which used to be a province of Turkey- to crack down the never ending terrorist supporters. Iran can just sit there and live it's 600 year old loser life.
Any Turks who doesnt look like Mongolian is Bastar d .last time checked Mongolian dont look like whites.
Turkey is a teerorist state , and they are using chemical weapons against kurds, with support of USA . The lawres in germany today loged a complaint against TEERORIST Erdogan and some of his army comandas , and there is very strong evdince aginst him in case. The lawers and people who beleive in humanity will discover the personality of this teerorist , and it will be obvious to hole of the world that USA are supporting the turkish teerorist against kurds. The kurds did nothing wrong to USA, they only defending for their homland and for democracy , therefor USA should stop supporting turkish teerorist state. If USA support turkish teerorist , so why they are fighting alqaeda, and why they are calling other organaziation teerorist. Remember USA if you support turkish teerorist state, it mean you are teerorist too and you must tell your americans people that you are teerorist , and the meaning of democracy and human right is nothing if you compare to your interst, so do not be double face if you were super power .
Turkey used chemical weapons against PKK
German website Der Spiegel says examination of photographs of eight scorched Kurdish rebels shows Turkey used chemical weapons
http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3935422,00.html
Turkey used chemical weapons against PKK-Video
https://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=174983632588897#!/video/video.php?v=174983632588897
those enemies (Iran Syria and even Iraq ) they wonderful friends when they want to kill Kurds.
we hear kurdish people scream on tv every day: "we dont want terrorists to kill soldiers and civilians in our name!" the pkk never had the support of the majority of kurds in turkey and it doesnt even know what its fighting for.
Turkey’s democratic system is only for Turks of Turkey. It is not true to say PKK does not have people support. Let UN to hold free election in Turkey and you will see 90 % of Kurds will vote for PKK representative.
Turkey killed unarmed Kurdish man in PKK ferry hijacker
Time and Time again the Turkish Islamist Government cruelty is known to the people in the world. Islamist Government cover up is obvious in the fabricated story of PKK ferry hijacker. The Kurdish man was protesting the treatment and cruelty of Islamic Government toward Kurdish leader Abdullah Ocalan. But they went ahead killed him after surrendering to Turkish commandos.
Turkey is killing Kurdish children when they are protesting. The Turkish treatments of Kurdish people in Turkey are displayed to the world. But no one cares about Kurdish people’s human right.
Hamma Mirwaisi
Member of the Kurdistan National Congress (KNK),
Representative of KNK in America
And the author of the book, “Return of the Medes”.
Anyone have an ounce of humanity, when they read comment from majority of Turks from Turkey, they know right away that they are racist and without humanity. Just read them out from their comment.
The people in the world must take time to know Turks of Turkey. Majority of them proudly are calling themselves gray wolf, only bloodthirsty people are calling themselves gray wolf.
The worlds are getting civilized but gray wolfs going backward. The only language they understand is the language of force. Read
This article inappropriately oversimplifies the dynamic relationship between the PKK and Turkey.
Kurdistan and the Kurdish problem with the racist Ottomans and then Turks is there since centuries and not the product of the newly established nation states Syria and Iran. The Kurdish problem should be solved peacefully by the western pressure on the Turkish racist regime. Otherwise, more catastrophes against innocents Kurds are coming. Similarly to the genocides of millions of Armenians, Bulgarian and Balkaninan Christians by Turks.
Turkey is a state of racist terrorism and the victims are Kurds! It is shame of the West to help such brutal regime of Killers against a people seek their right to self determination.
The can have some difficult times, but they always agree if it is about their fake and artificial sovereignty of racist and brutal regimes: The Turkish racist regime, the Islamic racist regime, the Syrian Ba'athist racist regime!
They might have some difficult times, but they always agree if it is about their fake and artificial sovereignty of racist and brutal regimes: The Turkish racist regime, the Islamic racist regime, the Syrian Ba'athist racist regime!
Who are Kurds? and how they have been subjugated? Kurdistan and the Kurdish problem with the racist Ottomans and then Turks is there since centuries and not the product of the newly established nation states Syria and Iran. The Kurdish problem should be solved peacefully by the western pressure on the Turkish racist regime. Otherwise, more catastrophes against innocents Kurds are coming. Similarly to the genocides of millions of Armenians, Bulgarian and Balkaninan Christians by the Turkish terrorists and racists.
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