The Role of Turkey in the Pacification and Rebuilding of Iraq Essay

The Role of Turkey in the Pacification and Rebuilding of Iraq The relationship between Kurds and Turkey has long been fraught with complications.? As rebuilding of Iraq is poised to begin, the question arises as to whether Turkey should take part in the reconstruction. I believe that Turkey is able to take a role in the peace process in Iraq, for it would prove advantageous to both Ankara and Washington.? However, I do not think that Turkey should take a role in restructuring, for their presence would undermine the peace process.? A role for Turkey would be resented not only by the Kurds in northern Iraq, but by the Iraqis as a whole. The Kurds are concentrated in northern Iraq.? Though it would be incorrect to assume that the Kurds are indicative of the Iraqi people, the Kurds do constitute a sizable minority, which accounts for approximately twenty percent of Iraq?s population.[i]? The Kurds have been marginalized for hundreds of years, most notably after the Great Powers reneged on their guarantee in the 1920 Treaty of Sevres to establish an independent Kurdish state and in 1991 when George Bush Senior encouraged the Kurds to ?take matters into their own hands,? and rebel against Saddam Hussein?s Ba?athist Party, only to withdraw from Iraq shortly thereafter.[ii]? The Kurds are justified in resenting their derogatory treatment.? They were, it is believed, the region?s original inhabitants, present in Iraq in the seventh century.[iii] The Kurds have been ruthlessly targeted by Saddam Hussein?s Ba?athist Party.? In 1975, the government in Baghdad initiated a process of ?Arabization? in northern Iraq, methodically exterminating the Kurdish population there.[iv] In 1988, the Anfal military campaign, led... ... Over Kurds. APS Diplomat Recorder.? 4 October 2003. [xxxv]? Purvis, Andrew.? ?Gathering Forces with Turkey. Time.? 10 February 2003: 23. [xxxvi]? ?Turkey?s Role Worries Kurds. The San Diego Union-Tribune.? 21 October 2003:? B2. [xxxvii]? ?The Battle for Northern Iraq. The Economist.? 22 March 2003. [xxxviii]? ?Turkey Moves Into Northern Iraq. APS Diplomat News Service.? 31 March 2003. [xxxix]? Ibid. [xl]? Gorvett, Jon.? ?Staking a Claim. The Middle East.? May 2003. [xli]? ?No Kurdish Imperialism for Us. The Economist.? 30 August 2003: 33. [xlii]? ?Kurds Block Turkish Mission. APS Diplomat Recorder.? 9 August 2003. [xliii]? Berenson, Alex.? ?The Struggle for Iraq. The New York Times.? 15 October 2003. [xliv]? Howard, Michael.? ?Kurds Say Turkish Troops Will Bring Chaos. The Observer.? 16 October 2003: 5. [xlv]? The Role of Turkey in the Pacification and Rebuilding of Iraq Essay The Role of Turkey in the Pacification and Rebuilding of Iraq The relationship between Kurds and Turkey has long been fraught with complications.? As rebuilding of Iraq is poised to begin, the question arises as to whether Turkey should take part in the reconstruction. I believe that Turkey is able to take a role in the peace process in Iraq, for it would prove advantageous to both Ankara and Washington.? However, I do not think that Turkey should take a role in restructuring, for their presence would undermine the peace process.? A role for Turkey would be resented not only by the Kurds in northern Iraq, but by the Iraqis as a whole. The Kurds are concentrated in northern Iraq.? Though it would be incorrect to assume that the Kurds are indicative of the Iraqi people, the Kurds do constitute a sizable minority, which accounts for approximately twenty percent of Iraq?s population.[i]? The Kurds have been marginalized for hundreds of years, most notably after the Great Powers reneged on their guarantee in the 1920 Treaty of Sevres to establish an independent Kurdish state and in 1991 when George Bush Senior encouraged the Kurds to ?take matters into their own hands,? and rebel against Saddam Hussein?s Ba?athist Party, only to withdraw from Iraq shortly thereafter.[ii]? The Kurds are justified in resenting their derogatory treatment.? They were, it is believed, the region?s original inhabitants, present in Iraq in the seventh century.[iii] The Kurds have been ruthlessly targeted by Saddam Hussein?s Ba?athist Party.? In 1975, the government in Baghdad initiated a process of ?Arabization? in northern Iraq, methodically exterminating the Kurdish population there.[iv] In 1988, the Anfal military campaign, led... ... Over Kurds. APS Diplomat Recorder.? 4 October 2003. [xxxv]? Purvis, Andrew.? ?Gathering Forces with Turkey. Time.? 10 February 2003: 23. [xxxvi]? ?Turkey?s Role Worries Kurds. The San Diego Union-Tribune.? 21 October 2003:? B2. [xxxvii]? ?The Battle for Northern Iraq. The Economist.? 22 March 2003. [xxxviii]? ?Turkey Moves Into Northern Iraq. APS Diplomat News Service.? 31 March 2003. [xxxix]? Ibid. [xl]? Gorvett, Jon.? ?Staking a Claim. The Middle East.? May 2003. [xli]? ?No Kurdish Imperialism for Us. The Economist.? 30 August 2003: 33. [xlii]? ?Kurds Block Turkish Mission. APS Diplomat Recorder.? 9 August 2003. [xliii]? Berenson, Alex.? ?The Struggle for Iraq. The New York Times.? 15 October 2003. [xliv]? Howard, Michael.? ?Kurds Say Turkish Troops Will Bring Chaos. The Observer.? 16 October 2003: 5. [xlv]?