wonder sometimes why the Turkish Army ever bothered invading North Iraq. They stand no chance of victory over the PKK. The PKK could be defeated in Qandil only if Turkey, Iran, Iraq & KRG worked together, and even then it would be very difficult. But that's not going to happen.
so if the Turkish Army invaded N Iraq to fight the PKK, knowing that they could never win, what was their motive? The answer is political, not military. A Fascist dictator like Erdogan constantly needs enemies and the perception of an external threat. His goal is to create fear.
Turkish state could have made peace with the PKK decades ago. The PKK's demands are not excessive - regional autonomy on a Federalist basis - nothing more than Scotland or Wales enjoy, for example. But the PKK is more useful to the Turkish Fascists as an enemy than as a friend.
for a Fascist like Erdogan, everything about the conflict is useful. The Turkish population is kept in a state of fear & Erdogan presents himself as their strong protector. When Turkish soldiers die, Erdogan weeps at their funerals and promises revenge, and the people lap it up.
at time of War, no matter how stupid & unnecessary, the people rally around their leader. He has an obvious excuse to arrest his political opponents and suspend the rule of law. The state of emergency is never-ending and Erdogan can rule by decree whilst plundering the country.
journalists can be silenced; editors arrested for "supporting terrorism;" Erdogan can create his own reality in which the Turkish people would be annihilated were it not for his brilliant leadership, fighting off Jews, Gulenists, the PKK, America, the YPG, & the Man on the Moon.
it's hard for those not living under a Fascist dictatorship to imagine how overwhelming its propaganda can be. The only message available to most Turks is Erdogan's sole narrative of Turkey's glorious triumph under his intrepid leadership over its powerful & conniving enemies.
everyone inside Turkey who does not support Erdogan in his heroic battles against his imagined enemies is a traitor or a terrorist - Nudem Durak singing Kurdish folk songs is a terrorist - Selahattin Demirtaş & Figen Yüksekdağ calling for peace & reconciliation are terrorists...
and the liberation fighters, the guerrillas of the PKK - well, they're the ultimate terrorists - even though they never target civilians (the definition of terrorism) - and even though they represent millions of people fighting for their cultural, political & human rights...
so let's invade Iraq & fight the terrorists - it's wonderful theatre & creates great footage for TV. Every dead conscript is propaganda gold (& we can lie about the real numbers). Every dead guerrilla is almost as good - look at the might of the Turkish Army (bombing villages).
but when I see the young Turkish conscripts carried back from N Iraq in their red boxes, & the parents weeping over them, inconsolable, I wonder if the veil of Fascist lies is ever rent, even for a moment, and they wonder why Erdogan is murdering so many young people for nothing
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