ANKARA — In what appeared to be a change in policy, the Bush administration has
ruled out a U.S. military operation against the Kurdish Workers Party in
northern Iraq.
The United States has decided that Iraq would eliminate the
presence of Kurdish insurgents along the border with Turkey.
For more than a year, the administration assured Turkey that
the U.S. military would eventually help ensure the removal of an estimated
4,000 PKK fighters from the Kandil mountains, Middle East Newsline reported.
But over the last few months, officials said, the administration has
revised its position. Officials said the State Department and U.S. military
have decided that Iraq's military, rather than Washington, would be
responsible for the removal of the PKK insurgents. They acknowledged that
this could delay any operation for years.
"In northern Iraq, before we can tackle [the PKK presence] we must have
stability for the government in Iraq," Gen. Peter Pace, the chairman of the
Joint Chiefs of Staff, said. "That means the Iraqi armed forces, the Iraqi
police providing security for their own government and for their own people
so that a sovereign Iraq government can work with Turkey and my government
to address the PKK problem up north."
Pace met Turkish leaders and addressed a counter-insurgency conference
in Ankara over the weekend. The general stressed that the United States was
helping Turkey combat the PKK, but he would not elaborate on the security
reasons.
"We are committed to addressing the PKK problem," Pace said on March 24.
Hours earlier, Iraqi and U.S. troops launched Operation Scorpion,
described as a search-and-destroy operation of insurgents in the Kirkuk area
in northern Iraq. The PKK was said to have established a presence in the
city, but officials did not say Kurdish insurgents were the target of the
operation.
For about two years, Turkey has been pressing the United States to
eliminate the PKK presence in northern Iraq. Ankara has asserted that the
PKK sent at least 3,000 fighters into Turkey to renew the insurgency war.
During a series of appearances in Turkey, Pace said the United States
opposes an independent Kurdish state and was committed to eliminating the
PKK. But he said any operation against the PKK must wait until Iraqi forces
become capable.
"We should understand that the best way to deal with the PKK is from a
position of strength," Pace said. "Your country is strong. We need to
strengthen Iraq so it, too, can deal with [the PKK] from a position of
strength."
The U.S. refusal to fight the PKK has aroused anger among Turks,
particularly in parliament. Some parliamentarians have called on Ankara to
refuse to cooperate with the United States against Iran's nuclear program.
"Full global cooperation is a must against terrorism," Turkish Chief of
Staff Gen. Hilmi Ozkok told the conference. "In order to fight terrorists
that target a society, culture or civilization, it is important not to
remain silent when another society is targeted."
During his visit, Pace sought to play down U.S.-Turkish cooperation
against Iran. He said Washington was not planning a military operation
against Teheran.
"Iran is a long way from needing any military solution," Pace said.
"There are many things that can be done diplomatically and many countries
working together to persuade Iran to work in such a way that is not
dangerous to its neighbors. There are many things that can be done before
any country contemplates a military option."
