End of Patience

These are the words of Prime Minister [Recep Tayyip] Erdogan, which he said yesterday while addressing a parliamentary group meeting.

He said unequivocally, “We are running out of patience.” He did not stop there, but went on, using the phrase, “this fact should be known by everyone, particularly those who are in charge of the region.” “Those who are in charge of the region” specifically implies the United States, and also the current Iraqi government.

For long, Turkey has been deeply disturbed by the persistent terrorist acts of the separatist organization based in Northern Iraq. Ankara is asking the U.S. administration not to be indifferent to the terrorists, that it should launch an operation, capture their leaders and hand them over to Turkey. We know that Turkey has submitted a list to the US.

So far, the US administration has not taken any step forward, and even though it approached Turkey’s demands positively, this cordial approach has not gone beyond mere words. The separatist terrorist organization’s administrative cadre and thousands of militants continue to chase rainbows in Northern Iraq. The Kandil Mountain in the region serves as their headquarters. Everybody knows that some bloody acts in Turkey are being hatched there.

The direct addressee of Erdogan’s statement, “We are running out of patience,” is the Washington administration… The prime minister in his speech stressed this fact, “our nation expects us to take effective steps to rid the region of terrorist elements.” What “effective” means here is obvious: A military operation. It is not possible to eliminate terrorist elements in any other way?

The prime minister said Turkey cannot avoid military operations if the bodies of martyrs continue coming from the Southeast. Erdogan wants it be known that what is necessary will be achieved with good timing. You can describe it either as a message or as defiance.

I personally took Erdogan’s address yesterday, which sent a message to the whole world, and to the US in particular, with the words “we are running out of patience,” seriously. Will these words turn into action? Is what lurks at the end of patience military operation? Only time will tell. We know that such aggressive moves pay off.

“We are running out of patience,” Turkish Land Forces Commander Gen. Atilla Ates once railed against Syria, which was haboring the leader of the separatist terror organization. Abdullah Ocalan’s journey which extended as far as some corner in Africa, that is Kenya, where he was parceled and handed over to Turkish security forces, and ended at Imrali island, began after these words.

What could be behind Erdogan’s move? The first thing that comes to mind is the US capturing some leaders of the separatist terrorist organization at the Kandil Mountain and handing them over to Turkey… This is possible. It wouldn’t be a surprise at all. It has been on the agenda from time to time but has never been realized.

The first issue could very well be Osman Ocalan. Even if he does not have links with the PKK any longer, Ocalan is known to be living in Musul (Mosul) under US supervision. Even though currently he has no direct contacts with the organization, given his former leading position in the group and his being a relative of Abdullah Ocalan, his extradition would have a psychological effect. Military operation is of course an option but a costly one.

If tomorrow the PKK’s activities reach an unbearable point, then this option could be put into effect. If martyr funerals do not cease in Turkey, then Ankara could take the risk and launch cross border operations. However this should not be expected in the very short run. Now, our patience has been tried to the limit, let’s wait and see what will happen next.