Posted on Jun 8, 2015
How will Turkey's recent parliamentarian election upset affect Turkeys handling of ISIS, Kurds, Iraq, and Syria?
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I hope the resulting coalition will roll back some of the strict Islamic laws and move back towards the more balanced approach of Turkey's first president Mustafa Kemal Atatürk. Hopefully they will pull back from support of turning a blind eye to those who want to travel through Turkey to join ISIS.
Recently, Turkish voters broke the 13 years rule of the President Erdogan's AKP [Adalet Ve Kalkinma Partisi (Turkish: Party for Justice and Progress)] party which managed to get 41% of the vote not enough to guarantee a ruling coalition. He had increased the influence of Islam at the expense of other faiths in Turkey.
The pro-Kurdish HDP [Peoples' Democratic Party (Turkish: Halkların Demokratik Partisi (HDP), Kurdish: Partiya Demokratik a Gelan)] crossed the 10% threshold, securing seats in parliament for the first time. HDP represents the Kurds and is generally more liberal
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-33047047
1LT L S, GySgt Wayne A. Ekblad, SSG James J. Palmer IV aka "JP', MAJ (Join to see). COL Charles Williams, COL Ted Mc, SPC Jan Allbright, M.Sc., R.S., MSgt Allan Folsom
Recently, Turkish voters broke the 13 years rule of the President Erdogan's AKP [Adalet Ve Kalkinma Partisi (Turkish: Party for Justice and Progress)] party which managed to get 41% of the vote not enough to guarantee a ruling coalition. He had increased the influence of Islam at the expense of other faiths in Turkey.
The pro-Kurdish HDP [Peoples' Democratic Party (Turkish: Halkların Demokratik Partisi (HDP), Kurdish: Partiya Demokratik a Gelan)] crossed the 10% threshold, securing seats in parliament for the first time. HDP represents the Kurds and is generally more liberal
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-33047047
1LT L S, GySgt Wayne A. Ekblad, SSG James J. Palmer IV aka "JP', MAJ (Join to see). COL Charles Williams, COL Ted Mc, SPC Jan Allbright, M.Sc., R.S., MSgt Allan Folsom
Turkey
ISIS
Military History
International Affairs
Edited 9 y ago
Posted 9 y ago
Responses: 4
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Anytime an effort to concentrate vast and unprecedented amounts of power into the Executive Branch are rebuffed, it is a victory for all who yearn to breathe free. It doesn't matter if that place is Turkey or the United States; the outcome is the same and the victory is every bit as sweet.
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LTC Stephen F.
I wholeheartedly concur MAJ (Join to see). I certainly hope the resulting parliamentary coalition will result in a more moderate president.
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How does this play with the fact that Iraq is 10% Kurd and those are 90% Sunni?
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LTC Stephen F.
SPC Jan Allbright, M.Sc., R.S., Turkey has spent significant effort at fighting the Kurdish militias fighting or lobbying for an independent Kurdistan. ISIS has been targeting Kurds independent of what faith they adhere to. The Kurds seem generally to be Kurdish first and Sunni second and generally do not subscribe tom the Wahabi doctrines embraced by ISIS or Al Qaeda. If Turkey diverts some of its forces from the eat to the south and inhibits the flow of fresh fighters and sustainment from Turkey to Syria that will be a very good thing.
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LTC Stephen F.
SPC Jan Allbright, M.Sc., R.S., you are more than welcome. Since I signed up for RallyPoint, I have found your posts to be very informative.
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Turkey is definitely in the best position to help the Kurds fighting ISIS on the ground. Even if they don't get directly involved, providing increased medical and logistical help could not only change a lot on the ground in Syria and Iraq, but could also foster a new relationship between the Turkish and the Kurds.
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COL Ted Mc
LTC Stephen F. - Colonel; I don't equate anyone of 2015 to the actions of anyone else in 1915 - but I do recognize that there is a "history" to be overcome.
That being said, both the Kurds and the Turks have a lot to gain by having the Kurds control a portion of Iraq as an independent Kurdistan. True, the Kurds also have something to gain by having control of a portion of Turkey as a part of that independent Kurdistan - but the Turks aren't going to be quite so keen on that point.
If the Kurds want to restrict their territorial goals to a portion of Iraq (and a fairly [potentially] rich portion at that) then the only people who are really going to object are the Iraqis (and, possibly, the Iranians).
That being said, both the Kurds and the Turks have a lot to gain by having the Kurds control a portion of Iraq as an independent Kurdistan. True, the Kurds also have something to gain by having control of a portion of Turkey as a part of that independent Kurdistan - but the Turks aren't going to be quite so keen on that point.
If the Kurds want to restrict their territorial goals to a portion of Iraq (and a fairly [potentially] rich portion at that) then the only people who are really going to object are the Iraqis (and, possibly, the Iranians).
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LTC Stephen F.
Generally I concur with you COL Ted Mc, each of the nations under discussion had its borders established as a result of the Balfour declaration. Turkey was whittled down significantly from its Ottoman Empire size. The Kurds of Kurdistan were not permitted to acquire their traditional lands and become a nation. I would hope that one day their is a Kurdistan because that would probably be the most stable nation in the region and certainly would not establish Wahabi policies of state in the near future a least.
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COL Ted Mc
LTC Stephen F. - Colonel; In general I agree with you, but you have to watch out for that "traditional lands" argument ESPECIALLY you have to watch out for the unintended consequences of making it a national policy to back returning lands to their "traditional occupiers".
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LTC Stephen F.
COL Ted Mc, well Armenia has been stable enough and is one of the few nations in that region has has not caused problems for us and its neighbors. Armenia was one of those "traditional lands" like Palestine that were returned to groups of people who occupied the land before. Of course Palestine became Israel in 1947 as a repatriation and appeasement act following WWII. Israel like Armenia have generally been well behaved on the international stage.
I concur with you that it is very problematic when other nations or groups of them like the UN determine national boundaries. It tends to work out better when the peoples groups establish their identity and fight for freedom - relatively peacefully like India or rebelling like we did in 1776.
I concur with you that it is very problematic when other nations or groups of them like the UN determine national boundaries. It tends to work out better when the peoples groups establish their identity and fight for freedom - relatively peacefully like India or rebelling like we did in 1776.
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