Letter to Forbes Magazine News editor
Dec 7, 2001
By: Nusret Ronai

Dear Mr. Forbes:

I was disappointed to read your article in the most recent Forbes Magazine,  entitled "Let
Turkey Make a Meal of Saddam."  In this article you stated " We need not recreate a
1991-Golf War-like coalition.  Instead, after imposing a no-fly zone over all of Iraq, we
should award Northern Iraq to Turkey."  This kind of article encourages amoral countries
like Turkey to be even more oppressive concerning its ethnic minorites, in this case, Turkish
Kurds.    As a matter of fact, your article became a headline for some Turkish comentators
who debated whether Turkey should invade Southern Kurdistan (Northern Iraq).  These
kinds of provocative propositions do not help to bring peace to the Kurds; instead, they
infalme an already sensitive environment causing more suffering and misery for the Kurds.

Since the founding of the Turkish Republic, the Kurds have been heavily oppressed by the
Turkish State.  In 1984, the conflict between the Kurds and the Turkish State escalated and
over the years 30,000 people were killed, and 4,000 Kurdish villages were destroyed by 
Turkish troops.  Over 3 million Kurdish people were displaced.

The Turkish government not only ignores basic human rights for its own Kurds in Turkey, it
is against anything related to the Kurds.  A few months ago, the Turkish Prime Minister
Bulent Ecevit made a blatant threat against the Kurds in Northern Iraq.  He said a
declaration of a Kurdish State in Northern Iraq would be a cause for war.  World powers
should recognize the extent of racism which motivates the modern Turkish State.

The Northern Iraq no fly zone (Southern Kurdistan) has been under the protection of U.S.
and British forces since the end of the Golf War.   Over 3.3 million Kurds have been
enjoying partial freedom under allied protection.  The Kurds set up an autonomous
government in the North to rebuild a country 
devastated by Saddam before and during the Golf War.  The Kurds in Northern 
Iraq are experimenting with a real democracy under the constant threat of 
Saddam Hussein in the south, Turkey with its cosmetic democracy in the North, 
and Iranian mullahs in the east.

In your article you proposed that Northern Iraq should be offered to Turkey.  You stated that
"After WWI this territory was taken from Turkey and given to Baghdad by the British, with
the understanding the Kurds would be granted substantial autonomy, a promise not kept,
with murderous results.  The Turks, aided by our air power, would make short shrift of any
Iraq armed resistance to their marching into Northern Iraq."  No, Mr. Forbes, thank you for
the offer of an autonomous Kurdish region by the Turks.  The Kurds historically have
suffered enough.  Why do the Kurds have to be ruled by others, instead of ruling themselves
in their own country.  They have been used and manipulated by the Turks, the Persians, the
Arabs, the British and  the American governments.   In the 1970s the Iraqi Kurds under the
leadership of Mustafa Barzani, were encouraged by the U.S. Government and Iran's Shah
Reza Pehlevi, to fight against Saddam Hussein's Baas Regime.  Iraq at that time was friendly
with the Soviets.  The Kurds accepted the arms provided by Iran and the U.S.   However, in
1974, Tehran hinted it was willing to abandon the Kurds in exchange for some territorial
concessions in the Persian Gulf.  The settlement concluded in Algiers with the help of Dr.
Henry Kissnger in 1975 and the Kurds were abandoned.  On March 10 Barzani sent an
urgent message to Kissinger reminding him of his promises but he did not reply, causing
concern among the American Secret Service who were worried that the Kurds might 
retaliate by exposing Presiden Nixon's unkept promises.  Later, CIA Chief Colby questioned
Kissinger about not responding to the Kurd's requests for humanitarian aid.   Kissinger
replied, "COVERT ACTION SHOULD NOT BE CONFUSED WITH MISSIONARY
WORK." (See Jonathan C. Randal's book "After such knowledge, What Forgiveness?') 

During the Golf War Presiden Bush asked the Iraqi people to rise against Saddam Hussein. 
The Kurds rebelled again and they were left alone crushed by Saddam's tanks and
helicopters.  This time millions of Kurds fled to the mountains to the borders of neighboring
countries.  That embarrased the Bush administration and they reluctantly created a nothern
no-fly-zone for the Kurds to encourage them to return to their towns and villages.  Since
then, this safehaven has been sanctuary for  over 3 million Kurds.  

In your article, you offer this Kurdish  sanctuary in Northern Iraq to the Turks in order to get
rid of Saddam Hussein.  For obvious reasons the Turkish government welcomed your
proposal.  Recent information coming out of Turkey report that the Turkish Police raided 
no less than 18 pro-Kurdish associations, cultural centers, as well as 30 Istanbul branches of
the Pro-Kurdish Peoples Democratic Party (HADEP).  People have been arrested and 
books, newspapers and and their archives  were confiscated.  The Turkish government
seemingly wants to put its own backyard in order before proceeding to the next step,  i.e.,
Northern Iraq.  What kind of democracy is this?

Forty million Kurds deserve to rule themselves rather than be ruled by others under  false
autonomy.  Temporary solutions to the problem is destined to backfire and to spillover into a
larger area.  

thank you.  Nusret Ronai