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Editorial Commentary
Scott Sullivan:
Would Hillary negotiate with the PKK?
According to reports in the Turkish press, the Bush Administration has split down the middle on the issue of negotiations with the Kurdish Revolutionary Party (PKK). On the side favoring US and Turkish negotiations with the PKK despite the PKK’s support for terrorism are Secretary of Defense Robert Gates and Admiral William Fallon at CENTCOM.
On the side opposing negotiations with the PKK is the State Department.
Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan is coming under intense pressure from the opposition in the parliament for aligning his policy on the PKK with the soft-line views of Gates and Fallon.
How does Hillary Clinton fit into this picture? The debate on the PKK is important for Hillary Clinton in two ways.
First, she has presented herself as the master of foreign policy detail on every issue and the only candidate aside from Senator McCain ready to become “commander in chief on day one.”
Second, Hillary and Bill Clinton have two distinct positions on the PKK, as reported earlier this year by theconservativevoice.com. Bill Clinton is pro-PKK and wants the US military to deter Turkish attacks on the PKK. Thus, Bill Clinton would clearly favor the Gates-Fallon policy of negotiations with the PKK.
Hillary Clinton, on the other hand, has cultivated close relations with the Turkish government and has spoken out against PKK terrorism, as recently as four months ago.
What is Hillary Clinton’s position on the PKK today? Will the real Hillary Clinton please stand up?
According to reports in the Turkish press, the Bush Administration has split down the middle on the issue of negotiations with the Kurdish Revolutionary Party (PKK). On the side favoring US and Turkish negotiations with the PKK despite the PKK’s support for terrorism are Secretary of Defense Robert Gates and Admiral William Fallon at CENTCOM.
On the side opposing negotiations with the PKK is the State Department.
Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan is coming under intense pressure from the opposition in the parliament for aligning his policy on the PKK with the soft-line views of Gates and Fallon.
How does Hillary Clinton fit into this picture? The debate on the PKK is important for Hillary Clinton in two ways.
First, she has presented herself as the master of foreign policy detail on every issue and the only candidate aside from Senator McCain ready to become “commander in chief on day one.”
Second, Hillary and Bill Clinton have two distinct positions on the PKK, as reported earlier this year by theconservativevoice.com. Bill Clinton is pro-PKK and wants the US military to deter Turkish attacks on the PKK. Thus, Bill Clinton would clearly favor the Gates-Fallon policy of negotiations with the PKK.
Hillary Clinton, on the other hand, has cultivated close relations with the Turkish government and has spoken out against PKK terrorism, as recently as four months ago.
What is Hillary Clinton’s position on the PKK today? Will the real Hillary Clinton please stand up?
Scott Sullivan is a former Washington government employee. Petroleumworld not necessarily share these views.
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Petroleumworld News 03/14/08
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