Turkish President may reignite conflict with Kurds for political reasons. Does this affect how you view US involvement in countering Daesh?

SGT Jeremiah B. — Thu, 06 Aug 2015 14:16:44 -0400

When our own NATO allies can't be trusted to not attack the only dependable fighting force in the conflict, can we actually trust that our own contributions are going to be worthwhile?

From the Article (since preview can't be edited and NYT comes through like crap) -

"Now a sharp critic of Mr. Erdogan, Mr. Kiniklioglu said, “I think there is little debate among normal and sane people in Turkey” that the war with the Kurds is being used as a tool to reverse the election defeat. The Justice and Development Party, known as the A.K.P., recently began conducting nationwide polls to see how it might fare in snap elections, which could be held as soon as November."

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Response by LTC Stephen F. made Aug 6 at 2015 2:29 PM

LTC Stephen F. — Thu, 06 Aug 2015 14:29:56 -0400

Sad, but not surprising SGT Jeremiah B..
Turks generally have looked out for their own since they were established in the 10th or 11th centuries. As their empire expanded voluntarily and contracted involuntarily after they lost conflicts, they focused on saving their people and what was important to them. They viewed the Armenians as a tool of their enemies and a thorn in their side and did their best to annihilate them during WWI. They have worked to extinguish the Kurds as a people and made it illegal to speak or write Kurdish until August 2002 and has been strongly opposed to the establish of Kurdistan as a nation.
http://www.culturalsurvival.org/publications/cultural-survival-quarterly/turkey/speaking-kurdish-turkey

Speaking Kurdish in Turkey

On August 2, the Turkish parliament passed a reform bill that introduced a number of remarkable changes in the letter of the nation's law. The bill reversed several longstanding policies: the death penalty was abolished in peacetime, non-Muslim religious groups were given the right to purchase property, and Kurdish-language private schools, television, and radio broadcasts were legalized.

Response by Maj Mike Sciales made Aug 6 at 2015 2:47 PM

Maj Mike Sciales — Thu, 06 Aug 2015 14:47:10 -0400

We need to understand that those nations live there. They understand their neighborhoods. We need to respect their decisions, they are our friends, not our tools. The Turks are a professional military more than up to the task of dispatching Daesh. They will also take any opportunity to maintain/improve their position with the Kurds who are likewise watching for Turkish weakness to exploit while they battle Daesh in their area. We like the Kurds, we like the Turks. We can custom tailor our levels of indirect support, but these little fires have to burn. Just the way it is.

Response by LTC Bink Romanick made Aug 6 at 2015 2:55 PM

LTC Bink Romanick — Thu, 06 Aug 2015 14:55:41 -0400

Turkey should recognize that Daesh on their borders is a bigger threat than the Kurds. Daesh could easily become N existential threat, the Kurds aren't.

Response by MAJ Ken Landgren made Aug 6 at 2015 3:10 PM

MAJ Ken Landgren — Thu, 06 Aug 2015 15:10:02 -0400

I am ashamed and outraged we allowed and keep allowing the Turks kill the Kurds. After all the Kurds have done for us like stop the ISIS advance, they become canon fodder for political enemies. It is tactically and strategically unsound, an we have turned our backs to the most loyal of allies. Our stupidity know no limits.

Response by SGM Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 6 at 2015 3:12 PM

SGM Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 06 Aug 2015 15:12:35 -0400

Until recently, Turkey seems to have been a strong NATO Ally. We knew some time ago that supporting one faction of Kurds might someday lead to a conflict of interest with Turkey. Watch closely to see how it is handled, for we have made mistakes in the past with groups aligned with us. Whether or not the current move by Mr E is political is difficult for us to say with certainty from a distance. Media reports alone are not reliable. Social Media is not reliable nor often credible. It does appear to be an appalling situation, but we certainly do not have all the facts. The northern Kurds have been our Ally for several years. Turkey has been our Ally much longer. Northern Kurds seem to have established a more secure area than any other in the region. Turkey has long muttered about it. Turkey is in a unique position to do much good. Let's see if they will do it.

Response by PO1 William "Chip" Nagel made Aug 6 at 2015 5:11 PM

PO1 William "Chip" Nagel — Thu, 06 Aug 2015 17:11:45 -0400

Just a God Awful Nightmare and Quagmire. The Kurds have been fighting forever for their own homeland/country in the area between Iran/Iraq/Turkey that they occupy. Each one of the Countries have pitted Kurds against each other and have put their own people in Kurdish Territory to displace and/or rule over the Kurds. Anyone we help in the neighborhood will use the opportunity to screw with their opponents. We have had a "Spy" base in Incirlick since the Bad Old Days of the Cold War so we are tied to Turkey. Turkey if not part of the EU already has been petitioning for a long time for membership since they stradle Europe and Asia. I see this as a No Win Situation no matter what we do or don't do. I still would love to see the Kurds finally get a country of their own.