By Ilnur Cevik
TDN- We have a saying in Turkey that from every evil you can draw out some good and we feel the latest situation in northern Iraq has created a historical opportunity that could highlight Turkish-Kurdish cooperation that may also provide an incredible opportunity to set the stage for future cooperation between Turkey and the Iraqi Kurds.
Turks and Kurds are the co-founders of the Turkish Republic and thus the Turkomans and Kurds of Iraq are our relatives whose safety and well being is our major concern.
Yes, Turks and Kurds have had their ups and downs not only in Turkey but also in northern Iraq, but we feel the current situation in Iraq where law and order has collapsed has created a window of opportunity for the Turks and Kurds to display that they can rise to the occasion.
That is why we have made the unprecedented appeal to Iraqi Kurdish leaders, the Turkish government and the Americans on our front page today to get their acts together to set up a joint peacekeeping force between the Iraqi Kurdish fighters (the peshmergas) and Turkish troops, probably under U.S. command, that will set up a peacekeeping or police force with a clear mandate and at least maintain law and order in Kirkuk and Mosul. As a matter of fact, the Iraqi Kurdish leaders could make such an appeal to Turkey with the blessing of the U.S. and Ankara could oblige.
It is clear that the Americans are under-manned in northern Iraq but we have seen even when they have enough fighters they have been unable to maintain law and order in many parts of Iraq which have fallen under the control of the coalition forces.
So at least the two cities of Kirkuk and Mosul, where there are Turkomans, Kurds, Arabs and Assyrians, would be spared the collapse of law and order that has reached disastrous proportions and has inflicted more destruction and suffering in Iraq than the war itself.
This would display that Turkey and the Iraqi leaders are capable of cooperating, while in Ankara it would also ease many of the Turkish concerns and end talk among various circles, including the military ranks, that Turkey should intervene in northern Iraq. This is causing frustration among various conservative circles in Turkey and in return is creating domestic complications which we feel may even threaten the democratic structure of our country.
So, Turkish forces would be in Kirkuk and Mosul for a just and valid peaceful cause which would also appease the Turkish parliamentarians.
Besides all this, the Turkish people have deep sympathy for all their Iraqi brothers and sisters and feel we should do something to bring relief to their suffering that has been further fueled by looting and lack of personal security. Maybe Turkish peacekeepers would be more than welcome in Baghdad and in many other Iraqi cities besides Kirkuk and Mosul.