What historical opportunity?

Do the latest landmine killings, hijacking of highway workers indicate some sort of a provocative revolt by some local elements of the separatist PKK, to the gang’s "commanders" up on the Kandil Mountains of northern Iraq who have been sending "peaceful" messages to the Turkish state through Turkish or foreign select journalists? Or, are the killings and the hijackings a product of some "deep state" or let us put it more bluntly, Ergenekon elements trying to blow up the "historical opportunity" the president, the prime minister and some foreign statesmen have been stressing? Or, are those talking about a historical opportunity to bring an end to separatist terrorism indeed just day dreaming and talking out of nonsense without any indication that there was indeed any such probability?

Indeed, are not we required to first try to answer the question whether there is such a "historical opportunity" and perhaps think a little bit under what conditions we may have a "historical opportunity" to bring separatist terrorism to an end? If we cannot ask these questions and if we cannot give some honest and correct answers to these questions we may fool ourselves with some false hopes for some time but eventually find ourselves buried far deeper and far seriously in a swamp of terrorism.

It is no joke. Over the past few days 16 sons of this country were fallen. Seven of our sons were wounded in the attacks and will carry the mark of terrorism on their bodies throughout the rest of their lives. Are some elements within the PKK or some other elements trying to torpedo the "historical opportunity" that President Gül was talking about? Are there some elements that are scared that Turkey might be indeed at the threshold of making some historical reconciliation efforts and bring an end to the "terrorism industry" and thus hurt their dark businesses, be it drug trafficking, human trafficking, arms trade or whatever?



Post-withdrawal role of Turkey

Or, is the "historical opportunity" remarks just product of a "historical betrayal" serving nothing but to create some suitable conditions required by the Iraq withdrawal plans of the U.S? Indeed, is it any secret for anyone with some brains that continued presence of the PKK in northern Iraqi hideouts could hinder plans to push Turkey when and if needed to the role of the "savior of Iraqi Kurds" once again?

Or, is it any secret for anyone with some realism that Iraqi Arabs, irrespective whether they are Sunni or Shiite, will never agree to northern Iraqi Kurds possessing natural wealth, the oil and gas resources of the country, and in the aftermath of U.S. withdrawal there is a high probability of an Arab-Kurd civil war in Iraq?

Or, is it any secret that if such a not-so-improbable event unfortunately develops Iraqi Kurds will have no one but Turkey to turn to ask for defensive help? More, how would a Turkey, unhappy with the continued presence of the PKK in northern Iraq and upset with remarks such as "Not the PKK members, we shall not even give back Turkey a cat," rush to the help of Iraqi Kurds that day? Thus, on the one hand there might be "resistance" from the terrorism industry to the success of the presumed "historical opportunity" while on the other hand the "historical opportunity" appears to be one that fits well to the post-withdrawal Iraq designs and particularly that answers the security of Iraqi Kurds in the post withdrawal period.

Irrespective what provocations the terrorism industry might stage, however, if and when the U.S and the Iraqi Kurds, and of course the central Iraqi administration, decide to put an end to the presence of the PKK in northern Iraq, this country will have not only a "historical opportunity" to bring the separatist terrorism industry to an end but at the same time to make some strong contributions to efforts aimed at establishing normalcy in Iraq and prevent with its deterrent capabilities a possible development of a civil war atmosphere there.

Apart from the need to make reforms in the country to eradicate the complaints of the ethnic Kurdish population and dry the swamp the PKK mosquitoes are using as breeding ground, ending foreign support to terrorists is a must for success in this fight. It is a fact that as long as terrorists are provided with some sort of a safe haven in a neighboring difficult geography it will not be possible to have a historical opportunity of finishing it out with some local operations and aerial bombing of camps on the other side of the border.