Radikal's Mehmet Ali Kışlalı discusses what kind of steps the government and General Staff should take in case of a possible Turkish intervention in Iraq. He wonders about the timing of a possible intervention and asks glibly when it will happen, "Will it be when the PKK wakes up from its winter sleep and launches terror activities or when Iraqi president Jalal Talabani and Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) leader Masood Barzani convince Baghdad and the US about a fait accompli in Kirkuk?" He thinks that the Justice and Development Party (AK Party) should take action now considering the 'do-not-cross red lines' the government announced before the start of the Iraq war. Kışlalı feels that Turkey should discuss this issue extensively in the parliament and determine under what circumstances it will send troops to Iraq. Turkey should also make some attempt to convey the importance of this issue at the EU level. He also urges that the General Staff should announce what kind of a strategy it will follow against the PKK in northern Iraq when the possibility of a military intervention in Iraq has increased after some legal procedures. "The General Staff should clearly explain, not only to the world, the US or EU, but to the Kurdish community in northern Iraq that it only targets PKK militants and not the Kurdish population," he says.Yeni Şafak's Fehmi Koru dwells on Turkey's need to negate the validity of a referendum that would determine Kirkuk's status. "Such a referendum will not present a legal basis. On the contrary, it will make people of different origins in Kirkuk feel more suspicious about one another. "What is the point in carrying the 'ethnic' tensions that already exist in other regions to the north of the country?" Koru thinks that Turkey's first goal should be to block the referendum. If it cannot, then Turkey should announce it does not recognize the referendum results. Koru thinks that the oil resources in the country are instigating separatist tendencies and encouraging hopes of independence. "These side effects are posing a danger to Turkey," he asserts. With this in mind, Koru points out the importance of peaceful formulas based on welfare. He thinks Turkey should encourage the use of Iraqi oil for the benefit of the entire Iraqi population. Turkey should also launch studies on infrastructure to enable the flow of oil via international institutions from Iraq. "With the advent of peace and brotherhood, welfare will prevail in Iraq," hopes Koru.
Star's Nasuhi Güngör thinks Turkey's next step is quite simple but requires political determination. He explains that Turkey should broaden its Iraq and regional policy to include all parties: the Turkmen in Iraq, including those with a direct relationship with Ankara and those without, the Arabs, and the Kurds - who we are about to declare as our enemies, he says. "The fire of war is gradually spreading in Iraq. With every passing day someone else is drawn into the war. If Turkey only thinks about taking steps based on the use of force and sets its other political tools aside it will not be able to play any role other than a bit part in this war," comments Güngör.
