Attack on Turkish Embassy is Sign of Risk

Journalist Mahalli said the attack on the Turkish Embassy in Baghdad was the first sign of the risks that Turkey will be taking by sending troops to Iraq. According to him, who says, Turkey is being deceived, occupying forces should withdraw from Iraq

Burçin Belge

Husnu Mahalli, the Syrian reporter of BBC in Turkey, said the suicide attack to the Turkish Embassy in Baghdad was a sign of risk. "This is the first sign of the risks Turkey will have to take if Turkish troops go to Iraq," said Mahalli.

A car bomb exploded near the Turkish Embassy in Baghdad on Tuesday, killing one person and injuring some t en others. The attack came a week after Turkey's parliament voted to authorize the government to send troops to Iraq

Mahalli criticized those who see the attack as a sign of "instability and insecurity in Iraq" and those who argue that, "Turkish troops should go there as soon as possible to maintain stability."

"Insecurity and instability are caused by the occupying forces in the region. Stability cannot be maintained unless those forces withdraw from Iraq," said Mahalli.

The occupying forces cause instability in the region

"U.S. supporters and the Israeli lobby are trying to deceive Turkey and to get the people of the region to fight against each other. The United States and Israel aim to take advantage of the chaos there," said Mahalli

"Turkey's presence in Iraq will create chaos," he adds.

Mahalli spoke to bianet:

* They are speaking of insecurity and instability in Iraq. But they are actually talking about the attacks against the U.S. troops in the region. Occupying forces are in Iraq, and they are the U.S. troops.

* The presence of the occupying forces is the reason for instability in Iraq. If Turkey wants to be a partner in creating this insecurity and instability, it will send troops to Iraq despite the opposition by Iraqi people. There are attacks against the U.S. troops in Iraq; as soon as Turkish troops go to Iraq, Turkey and its troops will become a target for attacks. This is very natural.

Decision to send troops caused the attack

* The attack against the Turkish Embassy in Iraq is caused by the Turkish parliament's decision on September 6 to authorize the government to send troops to Iraq and the positive approach in Ankara toward deploying Turkish peacekeepers to Iraq.

* Since September 6, all circles that represent the Iraqi people expressed opposition to Turkish troops in Iraq. They said that Turkish troops would be resisted if they go and that there will be reaction against them from the Iraqis. Some of these statements take place in the media, some of them don't.

* Regional countries like Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Syria and Iran, including some Arab countries that are U.S. allies, say that Turkish troops should not go to Iraq. They insist that if they go, a new dangerous period will begin in Iraq and in the region.

* I believe that the member countries of the Islamic Conference will take a decision on October 18 to warn Turkey against sending troops to Iraq.

* Turkey's decision came at a time when Arabs, regional peoples, Islamic countries, the European Union and most importantly when all Iraqis, including Kurds, Arabs, Turkomen, Shiites, Assyrians, all oppose to the deployment of Turkish troops. This decision places Turkey next to the United States and Israel.

* This would not only risk the future of the region and Iraq, but also the future of Turkey. Tuesday's attack is the first sign of this risk.

* If the United States and Turkey want stability in the region, they should allow the Iraqis to govern themselves and withdraw from the region. (BB/EA/NM)

Burçin Belge