Think that the War in Iraq has only managed to stir up tension between Sunni and Shia? Now it appears the other shoe is about to drop as the effects of Bush's fiasco continues to ripple across the region. The newest crisis: Turkey is threatening to jump in, militarily, against the Kurds in Northern Iraq.

ANKARA, Turkey (AP) -- Several thousand Turkish troops crossed into northern Iraq early Wednesday to chase Kurdish guerrillas who attack Turkey from bases there, two Turkish security officials said. Turkey's foreign minister denied its troops had entered Iraq.

The Turks, who have a problem with ethnic Kurdish rebels (the PKK or Kurdistan Workers Party) operating inside Turkish territory, claim that Iraqi Kurds have been launching guerilla attacks over the border into Turkey. The US Military has warned Turkey (a member of NATO) to stay out of their Iraqi sandbox. For the moment Turkey (who in 2003 refused the US permission to use of its airspace in the invasion of Iraq) is officially denying the incursion (Turkey's last major offensive into Iraq was in 1997 with 50,000 troops in pursuit of those same PKK guerillas). But the Turkish Government isn't going to hold back forever.

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan noted: "Our patience has run out . . . necessary steps will be taken when needed." The Turkish chief of the General Staff said the army is ready - all he needs is the "go-ahead." The Turkish public seems up for a strike, too.

You've got to hand it to the architects of the War in Iraq: starting a bloody civil war between Sunni and Shia Arabs, bolstering the strength and influence of Iran, and now destabilizing the border of nervous ally Turkey. When the Neo-Cons want to stir things up, they really know how to do it. What's next?

Bren73

Hackettstown, NJ

October 2005

JUN 06, 2007 08:30 PM

Now we have the lone Muslim democracy pissed off... ok we've officially fucked up this entire region. Only thing left to do is sit back and watch the insanity unfold.

sparaz

Lompoc, CA

November 2002

JUN 06, 2007 08:31 PM

Damn kurds. Oh well, why not add a little gas to the fire.

punk

Phoenix, AZ

January 2004

JUN 06, 2007 08:56 PM

I'm pretty sure the Kurdish government doesn't support these rebels. What could it possibly solve to launch a war against the entire country when it's a select group of extremists causing the trouble?

robert310

Germany

July 2003

JUN 06, 2007 08:58 PM

It was Al'Qaeda that started the civil war, they are already bitter enemies with Iran and need an ally to stay in Iraq, so they started/helped the Sunnis to begin fighting the Shia so that they could ally with the Sunnis and stay in Iraq as the Shia would be loyal to Iran as a matter of Iranians also being Shia as well. Saying the Neo-cons were responsible for this is giving them too much credit...

emotedcreations

Germany

July 2006

JUN 06, 2007 09:24 PM

I really really really wanna say "and so it begins" just for dramatic effect, but it's not like this shit is anything new. The PKK has been on a US terrorist watch list for as long as I can remember, and like punk said, I'd be highly surprised if the Kurdish government in northern Iraq has any intimate knowledge of their going-ons...