Is this Turkish muscle flexing something that might have happened, anyway, even if Saddam Hussein was still in power, or is Turkey taking advantage of a destabilized Iraq? Or, are the PKK the ones taking advantage of a destabilized Iraq?  It would be a shame to have conlfict in "Kurdistan", the one success story in the country.

If Turkey is our partner in the war on terror, do they have a right to protect their border ? It does not seem that Kurdish Iraq has done much to stop the PKK? I do not see this as the "crisis" that it is being projected to be. The question is whether the Turkish occupy part of Kurdish Iraq ? If that were to occur, they have the same problems we have ! The Turks are talking to the Iraqi government which is more than we did in 2003.

Turkey has every right to protect it's borders and this action was approved in a democratic maner, by the Turkish Parliament. Also, I would not want my country to sit idly by while our soldiers are being killed in guerilla attacks by terrorists. Perhaps 60,000 Turkish soldiers will help everyone concerned to reconsider the benefits of peaceful and civil discussion of differences. My only criticism is:Turkey, what took you so long?

Dear Richard, I hope you can give us some real perspective on this, in addition to this short piece, as this is a serious issue the American public needs to fully understand.
Jayne Ferguson, Los Angles

Dear Richard, I viewed the video of the Turkish Parliament approving a cross-border offensive against the Kurdish rebels in Northern Iraq. Quite a show of force between the soldiers and the armored vehicles in the region. I can understand they would want to stop this terrorist organization in the area, but our military has been so caught up with the Sunni and Shiite conflict in Iraq I don't see how our military would have any men left to help in this situation. Our military is stretched to the limit now and I really don't understand how they can as for our assistance in this matter. I feel sorry for the innocent people in the region who are suseptable to this violence. I think the Iraqi governement should attempt to work on this conflict in their country. The United States cannot always be the "world's policemen" in every conflict. I hope this can be quelled without causing more tension than there already is in the region. As I always say again and again to you Richard. Always keep safe and well! Excellent reporting as usual! Keep safe!! Peace to you and to all your colleagues!

I hope that doesn't happen.

Now the administration is telling Turkey not to take unilateral action and invade Iraq which would only destabilize the situation further.  Excuse me?  Wasn't this the very thing Bush was warned would happen--that soon the violence would increase and spread throughout the Middle East with small wars like this and the bombing that killed over 120 in Pakistan the other day?  Let us word our warning to Turkey that doesn't make us sound like a howling pack of moronic hypocrites:

"Dear Turkey,

Don't make the same stupid mistake I did by going off half-cocked and invading a country over the actions of a few otherwise you'll bring unspeakable misery on millions of innocent people the way I have.  Plus you'll be making the horrible, amazingly stupid situation I created much, much worse for me and I'm begging you not to do that.  Don't blow off the advice we are trying to give you otherwise you'll look as hopelessly arrogant and idiotic as I do when your little incursion backfires in your face.  When that happens, please don't try to spin it to make it sound noble and ethical because I've already done that and it doesn't work--your countrymen and the whole world will see right through it.  And you'd better have a draft in place so you have enough soldiers to go die needlessly in your ill-planned war because if you think you can get by on a few thousand the way I thought I could, you'll kick yourself in the ass everyday while you run your once-powerful military into the ground.  In short, don't invade Iraq or you'll end up in the same situation as the US.  Don't act like a stubborn, pig-headed fool or you'll end up as unpopular in your own country as I am in mine.

Signed,

George W. Bush"

Turkey is no friend of the US and has tried to dominate or displace all of it's neighbors..not just Armeninans. Does anyone remember the Turkish invasion of Cyprus?? It's time for all the countries surrounding Turkey to work together to restore territories stolen by the Turks. Greece has claim to Eastern Thrace, Ionia and Cyprus. Bulgaria and Armenia also have legitmate claims..not to mention millions of Kurds oppressed in eastern Turkey. There should be UN sanctioned plebiscites in the Kurdish areas. We will have no peace in the region untill ethnic boundaries are restored. The products of French and English imperialism are alien creations imposed on local populations by people in London and Paris that had no idea what they were doing.Let's not repeat their mistakes!!! American troops should not die to maintain borders that make no sense.

Appernently the message above was never typed by the president of the United States nor would he or anyone in there right mind degrade themselves and there country!  If you are going to comment on the U.S. then you should get your facts straight and comment on facts not emotions of anger!  Our country is not stretched thin nor is it crippled in any way!!  We still are very powerful and not to mention the most technologicaly advanced country in the world today!
People please stop fooling yourself!  We are a war harden country that can defend ourselfs no matter the enemy and will prevail!! Its the enemies attemp to make you beleive that we are weaking at the joints to faulter your support for our nations great military!  We are a people that sticks together....lets not forget our forfathers lessons in history!!

strangely,the muslim world remains rather quiet regarding the struggle of kurds for their homeland against Turkey unlike the palestinian cause which create quite a uproar.

Kurds are fighting for homeland against Turkey,palestinians are also fighting for homeland, the latter creates an uproar in the muslim world whereas the former create a silent blip in the muslim community.

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