"What was our mistake in northern Iraq?
By Bulent Korucu
Friday , 19 January 2007
Everyone knew that a tough year was in store for Turkey. As the hairpin turns approached, the intensity could be felt more and more. Focusing only on the presidential elections was wrong so we started to talk of northern Iraq and Kirkuk. Now, Kirkuk is a candidate to be one of the biggest fiascos in recent history.
My first visit to the region in 1994 was to cover a Turkish cross-border operation. On one of those days when we could come and go with the tens of thousands of soldiers as we pleased, this soldier’s complaint remains meaningful to me: “The foundations of a Kurdish state are being laid here and we are just watching.” In another visit last year, we saw that those foundations have been built upon. All that remains is to wrap up the legal procedures and the opening ceremony."
More:Turkish Weekly Comment - What was our mistake in northern Iraq?
