Turkey Sandwich (hold the precedent)

POST SPOILER ALERT(sort of): It concerns the U.S. Governments aiding and sheltering of two terrorist groups who are operating from inside Iraq. This post is a "must read" for anyone wanting to get a perspective of the ongoing tension between Turkey and the Kurds of Northern Iraq that you aren't seeing on CNN, NBC, etc. Nor, will you be getting it in The New York Times, Washington Post or Newsweek. I believe Alex Jones may have mentioned something about it on infowars awhile back, I can't recall. But that's not exactly main stream news.

Well, well, well...This is an interesting, if not plain frightening, situation we potentially have on our hands here. For those of you who may have been out, say on the International Space Station, over the last several weeks and haven't heard the news, Turkey has amassed somewhere between 60,000-140,000 troops along the Northern Iraqi/Turkish border. Oh, yea. One other rosey little tidbit...their Parliament(unfortunately not featuring George Clinton, nor Bootsy Collins) gave the Turkish military authority to carry out cross-border operations into Iraq to go after a Kurdish terrorist group, called the "Kurdish Workers’ Party", or the PKK, for carrying out terrorist attacks inside Turkey. What the hell does this have to do with me, Joe Six-Pack, and why should I be concerned? More on that in a minute. First let's take a look at the PKK. I'll keep it brief, you're not in history class for God's sake...

The PKK was founded in the 1970's. Their ideology is a Marxism/Leninism and Kurdish Nationalism blend(Communist/Islamic terrorists, I know...try not to laugh...they're still terrorists). The PKK's goal appears to be to set up an independent, Socialist, Kurdish state, consisting of territory which it claims is Kurdistan. This territory comprises parts of SE Turkey, NE Iraq, NE Syria and NW Iran. Officially formed in 1978, it didn't take too long for the PKK's Socialist ideology to clash with the "right-wingers" in Turkey. A bloody campaign ensued, including assassinations of some of Turkey's prominent political figures. Between 1978 to 1982, the Turkish National Security Council recorded a staggering 43,000 incidents it described as acts of terrorism. In 1997 the group was officially put on the U.S. State Department's list of terrorist organizations. In 1999, the PKK's leader, Abdullah Ocalan, was captured and 4,000+ well trained fighters sought refuge in Northern Iraq-where they would later be met with gas attacks from Saddam Hussein, but that's another rant.

So now you're sitting there saying to yourself once again, "Ok...I'm Joe Six-pack. WTF does that have to do with me"? "These guys sound like assholes and should be stopped". Well, that's where it gets a little murky. You see, since the invasion and subsequent occupation of Iraq in 2003, Turkey(a fellow member of NATO) has lobbied the U.S. hard for the reigning in of the PKK. But, despite the PKK having the "not-so-distinguished" honor of being on the State Department's terrorist organization list, arguably nothing has been done to "reign them in". Probably, due to the fact that Northern Iraq has been relatively stable compared to the rest of the country. Although, at this point that doesn't say too much. Around 70% of the U.S.'s supplies for the war in Iraq travel via Turkey. If chaos breaks out in the Northern part of the country, this doesn't bode too well for supply lines. But, even worse than that, in my opinion, it sets a terrible precedent that can only lead to chaos.

"So, let me get this straight", you are saying. "There has been a terrorist group operating out of Northern Iraq with an amount of support/protection from the U.S., and they have been carrying out attacks against Turkey-without consequences?". You're paying attention, cool. That's exactly what I'm fucking telling you. Bad things indeed. But, there are potentially worse things afoot? Neah...it can't be so. 'Tis so. 'Ya see, there is another group the U.S. military really likes. They are headquartered in Southern Iraq, and go by Mujahadeen-e-Khalq(MEK). Oh, and great news(insert sarcasm emoticon here), they are also on the State Department's list of terrorist organizations! A brief history of MEK...they are a real piece of turd work...

The MEK is not your "run of the mill", Anti-Western group, but an organization with a high political presence in Western capitals(scary, I know). The MEK was founded in the 1960's by some college educated, Iranian "leftwingers" whom opposed the country’s pro-Western ruler, Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi. The group took part in the Islamic Revolution that replaced the Shah with a Shiite Islamist regime led by the Ayatollah Khomeini. Their ideology? Glad you asked. A Marxist/Islamic blend. I see a pattern here. Of course, this blend of beliefs soon put the group at odds with the post-revolutionary, Iranian government. Before engaging the Iranian government in a bloody campaign, in 1981 the group was driven from it's base on the Iran/Iraq border. They resettled in Paris before relocating back to Iraq later on in the 1980's. The MEK has spent 17+ years in Iraq. During which time they worked diligently for Saddam Hussein in the Iran/Iraq war. They currently have 3000+ "soldiers" located in Iraq with one singular goal...to destroy their arch nemesis, their Lex Luther-if you will...The Islamic Republic of Iran(You know...Dick Cheney's obsession). In June 2003 French authorities raided a MEK compound outside Paris and arrested 160 people, charging 10 with conspiracy to commit terrorist acts. Are you still with me? Here's where it gets interesting...

Despite its being on the State Department's terrorist organization list, the MEK remains in an odd sort of limbo. On April 15, 2003, the U.S. Army signed a cease-fire permitting the MEK to keep its weapons and use them against any Iranian fighters crossing into Iraq. Yes. You read that correctly. The U.S. signed a fucking cease-fire with them. This infuriated the State Department, which then convinced Bush to undo it, leading to the somewhat bizarre sight of U.S. troops surrounding MEK camps in May of 2003. Disarming its fighters only to take up positions to protect them.

The U.S. State Department considers MEK a terrorist organization -- meaning no American can deal with it. U.S. banks must freeze its assets. And any American giving support to its members is committing a major motherfucking crime. The U.S. military though, has a different view of the group. They regularly escort MEK supply runs between Baghdad and its base, Camp Ashraf.

"The trips for procurement of logistical needs also take place under the control and protection of the MPs," said Mojgan Parsaii, vice president of MEK and leader of Camp Ashraf. You're fucking kidding me, right?

In 2003 Secretary of State Colin Powell wrote Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld to remind the Pentagon that the MEK's forces in Iraq were supposed to be U.S. captives, not allies. To no avail it seems.

How can this be? Well, funny you should ask. Because, according to U.S. documents, coalition forces regard MEK as protected people under the Geneva Convention. Refresher. They are designated a terrorist organization by the U.S. government. Surely you remember all "the fuss" over granting the prisoners at Guantanamo "Geneva Convention status". It's not happening. But, we will grant a terrorist organization-designated so by the U.S. government those very rights? What sort of sick, bizzaro world have I awoken too?

But, of course, it gets even better. The group also enjoys the protection of the International Committee of the Red Cross. "The ICRC has made clear that the residents of Camp Ashraf must not be deported, expelled or repatriated," according to an ICRC letter.

Which brings me back to the Turkey precedent. What do you think would happen if Turkey went into Northern Iraq to take on the PKK? Anyone? Anyone? Yep...Iran would be all over the other assholes to the south, the MEK. This would obviously be chaos. I'm sure Syria would find some reason to "jump in", as well. It would lead to all out regional chaos. You think oil is expensive now, flirting with $90 a barrel? You drive too Joe Six-pack. I can't imagine, don't want to really, what the situation could be like a few weeks after Turkey invaded Iraq. It could be very, very bad. Not to mention Pakistan is imploding in upon itself a short distance away. You have sons, daughters, cousins, friends, mothers and fathers Joe Six-pack. That's why you should care.

Moral of the story: Don't support terrorist organizations.
Don't support Administrations that support terrorist organizations.