An encouraging article
I've been watching stories regarding the situation on the Turkish border with Iraq for some time. For the last couple of months, the rhetoric and military moves on the Turkish side of the border added to the increase in attacks by the PKK seemed to indicate that matters may be coming to a head soon.
Given the rather unfortunate effects of a Turkish invasion, I hoped it wouldn't happen while expecting it would. After all, things manage to get worse everywhere else the Bush Administration is involved; why should Kurdistan be the exception?
Anyway, an article in today's Independent says that the recent victory by the governing party in Turkey's recent election makes the possibility of an invasion more remote.
Apparently the aggressive moves and rhetoric were part of the gamesmanship and appeal to nationalism that are all too common in political campaigns, and with the election campaign safely over, cooler heads will now prevail. It actually makes a great deal of sense when you think about it.
Of course, the rhetoric was part of the army's campaign to undermine the Islamist-leaning ruling parties' chances. It didn't work, and the results seem to indicate a softer line in regards to an invasion. Of course, the Turkish army hasn't been exactly shy about removing governments they didn't like, so there's no guarantees.
In any case, if the invasion rhetoric was just election pandering, I'll be both relieved that the invasion won't happen, and disappointed that leaders feel that its okay to stir such passions for such mundane purposes. Because passions once stirred don't always fade away when the reason behind the stirring no longer applies, and a few well placed attacks by the PKK could quickly make the invasion inevitable regardless of what was intended by those who threatened it.
