Can someone explain to me why Bush is helping the Turks slaughter our Kurdish allies in Iraq?

Question

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080222/ap_on_re_mi_ea/turkey_iraq_glance_1

The Kurds have cooperated with Coalition forces throughout the Iraq War and appear to genuinely like Americans. The PKK seems to be little more than an Anti-genocide Vigilante group. And, as far as I know, they only attack military targets.

The Turks always made the Greeks being the simulated enemy a condition for participating in NATO exercises, Refused to allow Coalition forces to stage out of Turkey in the Iraq invasion and still refuse to allow their air and seaports to be used for resupply, are a major recruiting and banking center for Al Queda and Hezbollah, (two of the 9\11 hijackers were from Turkey,) and run Anti-American propaganda in their newspapers on a daily basis.

So why are we helping our enemies against our friends?

Answer 1

You really haven't understood the Turkish or the Kurdish question.

In the first place since 1924 the Kurdish people have been separated between Iraq, Syria, Turkey and Iran. Before that, they were a nomadic people who roamed over the whole area.

For many years Turkey referred to their Kurdish population as 'mountain Turks' and attempted to convince people that Kurdish was a primitive Turkish dialect.

The PKK have been known to attack civilian targets, even targets in Europe in the early 90s.

There is an important 'US air base' in the south-west of Turkey. The base is leased from Turkey. The lease is renewable every 6 months.

I haven't seen much in the way of anti-USA propaganda on the part of Turkey recently. Al Qaida and Hizbollah are not welcome in Turkey. What the banks are doing? Don't examine that too closely - it could be uncomfortable for most western countries.

The USA is on a sticky wicket regarding the Turkish invasion of Iraq. After all, if they protested that would be like saying, 'We can invade, but no one else is allowed to.' Hoist on their own petard.

Answer 2

And the cooperation during the invasion, remember, was after Bush 1 had encouraged them and the Marsh Arabs to rebel against Saddam promising that he would support them.  They did, Bush didn't, Saddam slaughtered thousands of them with chemical weapons his US mates supplied for the purpose.  

We are talking US, remember.  'White man speak with forked tongue' has not changed.

Turkey though is not an enemy.  They are a bosom buddy of the US/Israelis and would dearly love a cut, or a clone, of the $3Bn/ year.  They are also, all but, Nato members despite their horrendous human rights record - which only worries the US in places which they want to disparage or invade.

What have the Kurds done wrong - they don't have anything - so therefore don't have anything the Yanks want.  This applies to the Marsh Arabs too but there are so few of them left now ...

Answer 3

Turkey is a big US ally, and israelis as well.

How many allies in the arab world for the US? Weighing the Turks against Kurds, it is natural decision. But, this is big but, on state department mind, it might serve a detraction from the world attention on Iraq. what if ?