Iraqi PM says Turkey is becoming an enemy state

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Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki has said Turkey is becoming an enemy state in the region in a sign of growing tensions between Turkey and Iraq.

Maliki’s harshest remarks so far came at a time when Turkey was hosting two senior Iraqi politicians who are at odds with his government. Leader of the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) Massoud Barzani arrived in Turkey for a two-day visit on Thursday and Iraq’s fugitive Vice President Tariq al-Hashemi is currently in İstanbul.

“The latest statements of (Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip) Erdoğan are another return to the process of interfering in Iraqi internal affairs and it confirms that Mr. Erdoğan is still living the illusion of regional hegemony,” Maliki said in a statement posted on his website, AFP news agency reported.

Maliki said it is regrettable that Erdoğan’s statements have a sectarian dimension which he used to deny before but which have become clear, and are rejected by all Iraqis.

“Insisting on continuing these internal and regional policies will damage Turkey’s interests and makes it a hostile state for all,” Maliki said, AFP also reported.

Maliki and Erdoğan exchanged harsh accusations in previous months and ties between the two countries are seriously strained. Diverging positions in Syria and Turkey’s support for Hashemi are main points dividing Ankara and Baghdad.

Erdoğan warned against the latest situation in Iraq in a press conference earlier this week and signaled a troubling trend in the war-torn country under the current prime minister. Erdoğan blames Maliki for excluding Sunnis from power structures.

Turkey/PKK

Turkish forces launched operations in the mountains of northern Iraq on Thursday following simultaneous attacks by Kurdish separatists in southeastern Turkey that killed at least 26 soldiers.

The Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), which has waged a decades-long separatist struggle against Ankara, has claimed responsibility for the attacks, which occurred late on Tuesday and early on Wednesday.

A security source said the attacks targeted police and military installations in several locations in Cukurca and Yuksekova in Hakkari province near the border with northern Iraq’s semi-autonomous Kurdish region.

The Turkish army responded with an air-supported operation against the fighters in Iraq’s northern Qandil mountains, with both airstrikes and soldiers on the ground employed.

Todayszaman/ al Jazeera

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13 responses to “Iraqi PM says Turkey is becoming an enemy state”

  1. wargame1 Avatar

    This is a US/Irani puppet. He wont last very long….

  2. wargame1 Avatar

    This is a US/Irani puppet. He wont last very long….

  3. wargame1 Avatar

    Turkish top military brass are of Alawite origin just like Syria. But there in Turkey the majority population is sunni and they are not very happy for the government so the Turkish Government have to make its move very carefully. It will be sorted out there too because the Arab spring is like a virus and will not spare Turkey. 

  4. wargame1 Avatar

    Turkish top military brass are of Alawite origin just like Syria. But there in Turkey the majority population is sunni and they are not very happy for the government so the Turkish Government have to make its move very carefully. It will be sorted out there too because the Arab spring is like a virus and will not spare Turkey. 

  5. wargame1 Avatar

    Turkish top military brass are of Alawite origin just like Syria. But there in Turkey the majority population is sunni and they are not very happy for the government so the Turkish Government have to make its move very carefully. It will be sorted out there too because the Arab spring is like a virus and will not spare Turkey. 

  6. 5thDrawer Avatar
    5thDrawer

    ” … the illusion of regional hegemony …” Hmmm … isn’t hegemony an illusion anyway? Get out the Oxford.
    Hegemony – the dominance of one social group or state over others. From the Greek ‘hegemon’ – for ‘leader’.
    Well …. we should consider what we want to be leading, I suppose.
    If they always want to fight over who can be the leader, Turkey may or may not be the ‘strongest’ or ‘most violent’.  I mean, if violence and despotism is your criteria for leadership, there are others doing much more in that regard.
    However, in contemplating the democracy afforded the people there, it is not so bad. Might be considered a leader in that.
    If you consider ‘hegemony’ as a ‘thing’ that makes a country desirable to live in, I haven’t noticed people flocking to Iraq … but I did notice a bunch diving into Turkey from Syria … so I suppose Syria is out of that equation now. And Turkey attracts more tourists too. Might be something in that, if leadership is about numbers.
    Sigh … listening to the ‘dialogue’ can certainly confuse an issue in it’s most basic ways.
     Hmmm .. which south-sea island would I rather be on …..

  7. 5thDrawer Avatar
    5thDrawer

    ” … the illusion of regional hegemony …” Hmmm … isn’t hegemony an illusion anyway? Get out the Oxford.
    Hegemony – the dominance of one social group or state over others. From the Greek ‘hegemon’ – for ‘leader’.
    Well …. we should consider what we want to be leading, I suppose.
    If they always want to fight over who can be the leader, Turkey may or may not be the ‘strongest’ or ‘most violent’.  I mean, if violence and despotism is your criteria for leadership, there are others doing much more in that regard.
    However, in contemplating the democracy afforded the people there, it is not so bad. Might be considered a leader in that.
    If you consider ‘hegemony’ as a ‘thing’ that makes a country desirable to live in, I haven’t noticed people flocking to Iraq … but I did notice a bunch diving into Turkey from Syria … so I suppose Syria is out of that equation now. And Turkey attracts more tourists too. Might be something in that, if leadership is about numbers.
    Sigh … listening to the ‘dialogue’ can certainly confuse an issue in it’s most basic ways.
     Hmmm .. which south-sea island would I rather be on …..

  8. Erdogan is really a very dangerous person. in 3-4 years he managed to attack everyone. He attacks Greek Cyprus, Greece, Israel, France, Germany, Syria, Iraq and make a witch hunt inside Turkey itself against his opponents, many are now arrested. Erdogan’s wishes to be a new “Salah a Din”. He wants to be a  leader of all the Sunni muslim world and make Turkey a new Ottoman empire. 

    Well let’s remember what happened almost 100 years ago: Turkey slaughtered 1.5 million Armenians, and fought a bitter war against… Muslim Arabs! yes, this is not a mistake. UK, Australia, France, the Arabs and the Jews in the land of Israel worked together to oust Turkish rule. Turkish rule in the holy land left Jews, Muslims and Christians a devastated country, coruption, robbery, very poor welfare and health services, Bakshish and bribery mentality, ruined nature, untreated swamps, burned and destroyed forests, neglected and devastated holy sites including Jerusalem. 

    I respect Turkish concern for Sunnis in Palestine, Syria, Iraq or elsewhere, but judging from Turkish not very pleasent history, it should avoid messing with other’s politics. 

  9. Erdogan is really a very dangerous person. in 3-4 years he managed to attack everyone. He attacks Greek Cyprus, Greece, Israel, France, Germany, Syria, Iraq and make a witch hunt inside Turkey itself against his opponents, many are now arrested. Erdogan’s wishes to be a new “Salah a Din”. He wants to be a  leader of all the Sunni muslim world and make Turkey a new Ottoman empire. 

    Well let’s remember what happened almost 100 years ago: Turkey slaughtered 1.5 million Armenians, and fought a bitter war against… Muslim Arabs! yes, this is not a mistake. UK, Australia, France, the Arabs and the Jews in the land of Israel worked together to oust Turkish rule. Turkish rule in the holy land left Jews, Muslims and Christians a devastated country, coruption, robbery, very poor welfare and health services, Bakshish and bribery mentality, ruined nature, untreated swamps, burned and destroyed forests, neglected and devastated holy sites including Jerusalem. 

    I respect Turkish concern for Sunnis in Palestine, Syria, Iraq or elsewhere, but judging from Turkish not very pleasent history, it should avoid messing with other’s politics. 

  10. antar2011 Avatar
    antar2011

    i am not suprised Iran told him to say this loool what a disgusting shame!

  11. antar2011 Avatar
    antar2011

    i am not suprised Iran told him to say this loool what a disgusting shame!

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