Monday, October 01, 2007

PKK without hot pursuit....

Cernig earlier this week noted that the new Iraqi-Turkish security deal concerning cross-border PKK operations and Turkish responses was without teeth. The deal included expressions of concern and pledges of cooperation, but no right of hot pursuit for Turkish forces. And it is toothless.

The AP is reporting on a PKK ambush of Turkish government forces in southeastern Turkey yesterday:
The rebels armed with machine guns attacked the minibus in Sirnak province near the border with Iraq, killing seven village guards and five civilians,
This most recent deal, as most pronouncements from the Iraqi government will be ineffectual as the Iraqi government does not have a monopoly on force throughout its territory nor does any one else have it. Instead force has been used to fragment authority and create lawless and norm-less zones in which small groups with committed support can operate.

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