Iraqi fragile policy curbs confronting Turkish violation
ERBIL, KRG, Iraq (North Press) – On Thursday, researchers interested in the Iraqi affair said Iraq’s precarious policy pushed Turkey to carry out more “aggressions” against the country, stressing that Turkish incursion in Iraq was “illegitimate” and that Iraq possessed cards to repel it.
On Sunday, Turkey announced a new ground and air campaign “Claw-Lock” against the Kurdistan’s Worker Party (PKK) in Iraq.
The Iraqi Foreign Ministry strongly denounced the “permanent Turkish violations against Iraq’s sovereignty.”
Despite the strong stances, the Iraqi authorities did not take any real measures to stop the Turkish military operations or to eliminate the setup of Turkish military bases scattered in different parts north Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRG), including Bashiqa base near Mosul which was established in 2015.
“The number of the Turkish bases increase day by day until now over 36 bases have been established, they pose a great danger,” the Iraqi politician Sabah Zanganeh told North Press.
Zanganeh stressed, “If Iraq had not had this fragile policy and sovereignty, Turkey or any other state would not have committed violations against it.”
Zanganeh believes Iraq’s “depleted” army that fought long years against al-Qaeda and the Islamic State Organization (ISIS) can no longer repel any other aggression, specially the Turkish one since Turkey has strong ammunition.
The Iraqi politician ruled out the military option to repel the Turkish aggression given “Iraqi army lacks areal control and does not have the freedom to fly its own warplanes.”
The Iraqi troops also find it difficult to move on the ground to face the Turkish incursion as the territory targeted by Turkey is situated in the far north of the KRG and this requires the approval of Erbil government to move. This issue deepens the problems that bears double standards in many outcomes, according to the Zanganeh.
Iraq has several positive pressure cards and they are not necessarily to be the boycott of Turkish commodities which will have a negative impact on Turkey and Iraq as well. On the contrary, Turkey can be linked to more investment and openness to trade. “Only then I think that Turkey would keep quiet because any aggression or conflict between the two parties would harm the safe environment of commercial ties.”
Unfortunately, the political split in Iraq has encouraged Turkey to sway control over the areas it allegedly said they geographically follow Turkey.
In the same context, the political analyst Najm Qasab, said the Turkish operations, allegedly against the PKK, are not new ones and they still target villages and areas in the KRG under the precarious practical attitude of Iraq.
Qasab disagrees with Zanganeh adding that Iraq has several cards that can be used against Turkey, most notably the economic card.
Iraq should ban the import of Turkish goods which make the Turkish government benefit of about $18 billion and Iraq should be opened to a new alternative party.
In addition to the economic pressure, Qasab said “Iraq has the right to expel the Turkish ambassador and file a complaint to the UN Security Council.”
But the internal disagreements and division make Iraq subject to external aggression, according to the Iraqi analyst.