Chris Gelken Reporter's Notebook

RSS Feed Homepage

Articles: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

Bush to veto Defense Policy Bill
2007-12-29 03:16:00
Bush facing problems he is simply ill-equipped to deal with U.S. President George W. Bush is expected to veto a massive defense policy bill because it contains language that would expose the Iraqi government to law suits stemming from the Saddam Hussein era.A substantial number of these lawsuits have in fact been lodged by American citizens, including former U.S. soldiers.Bush says the crippling lawsuits would disrupt Iraq's reconstruction efforts.But what about those people with legitimate claims?PressTV asked Kevin Sanders, Director of Special Projects of the War and Peace Foundation in New York to try and unravel some of the complicated questions this proposed veto has thrown up.PressTV: The main problem with the bill, as far as Bush is concerned, is that it leaves the Iraqi government open to lawsuits stemming from the Saddam era. But some of those suits have been filed by Americans, including former soldiers, so how is this going to be perceived by the American public? Sander...
More About: Bush , Policy , Defense , Bill , Veto

Was Bhutto just a tragic victim?
2007-12-28 10:44:00
Friends say return to Pakistan was a suicidal decisionCanadian writer Mark Steyn wrote on his blog today, “She was beautiful and charming and sophisticated and smart and modern, and everything we in the West would like a Muslim leader to be - though in practice, as Pakistan's Prime Minister, she was just another grubby wardheeler from one of the world's most corrupt political classes.”Speaking on PressTV, Jeff Steinberg, Senior Editor of Executive Intelligence Review, was rather more forgiving. “I think she’ll be remembered generally in a very positive light. Although, I must say that while some of the characterizations are obviously a bit harsh considering she was murdered earlier today, they also carry some truth.”Steinberg sees her neither as simply a politician who may have engaged in some creative accounting practices while in office, nor simply as a martyr for the cause of democracy in Pakistan. Rather, he characterizes Bhutto as a victim, a tragic victim of the po...
More About: Tragic , Victim , Hutto

Torture scandal may cripple Bush
2007-12-22 07:29:00
White House accused of cover-up in torture tape outrageThe President is playing dumb and denying everything, and White House lawyer Joseph Hunt assumed an aggrieved air and asserted that it was ?inconceivable? that the missing Central Intelligence Agency interrogation video tapes could possibly have contained images of torture. Well, to be more precise, he said they did not contain evidence of torture at Guantanamo Bay. Whether or not they carried sordid images of waterboarding and other coercive interrogations carried out at one of America?s secret foreign gulags was not made immediately clear.But since the tapes in question apparently did come from elsewhere, and Judge Henry Kennedy?s 2005 order on preserving evidence related only to Gitmo-based interrogations, then it would appear there is no case to answer.So has the Bush administration managed to dodge the bullet??I honestly don?t think so,? Jeff Steinberg, Senior Editor of Executive Intelligence Review, told PressTV in a tele...
More About: Scandal , Torture , Canda

Iraq: Outsourcing the war
2007-12-20 17:41:00
Corporate government leads to corporate war and leads to corporate abuse.This week a U.S. human rights group filed its second lawsuit against security contractor Blackwater on charges of war crimes, assault and wrongful death. The company, at the center of the infamous Nisoor Square shooting in Baghdad that left 17 Iraq i civilians dead, is further accused of killing an Iraqi salesman on September 9th 2007.Meanwhile, a U.S. Congressional committee was hearing testimony from a female former employee of U.S. contractor Halliburton. The young woman told the hearing she was drugged and then gang-raped by American workers in her accommodation in the high-security Green Zone in Baghdad in July 2005.First published by Ohmynews InternationalReproduced by OpEdNews.comReproduced by Countercurrents.org Reproduced by Economy and SocietyTwo-and-a-half years later, the Justice Department has failed to complete its investigation, and a department official who was scheduled to give evidence at the h...
More About: Outsourcing

Amazing Esfahan (Isfahan) Video on Google
2007-12-18 21:19:00
It has taken a while, but after "dumbing" down the original file to a usuable file size, and then the slowest upload in the history of uploads... we eventually managed to get the Esfahan video onto google video.Video for Amazing Esfahan here Our 56k dial up modem - which usually runs at about 28k - is probably one of the most frustrating aspects of living here in Tehran - in our particular neighborhood - one of the few places not serviced by broadband or wireless!But, nobody said living here was gonna be easy!!Chris Gelken Reporter's Notebook http://chrisgelken.blogspot.com
More About: Google

The Inconvenient Truth ? America?s Gulags (Update)
2007-12-15 06:53:00
Analyst asks ?what is torture but an application of terror?? The United States Senate has blocked a bill earlier passed by the House of Representatives that would have banned the use of cruel and unusual punishment ? well, torture ? during the interrogations of terror suspects. New York-based author and political analyst David Hungerford told PressTV he isn?t convinced this reflects the wishes of the general public, ?But I think we can come to the conclusion that George Bush himself endorses the torture of detainees.? Original article published by Ohmynews International Hungerford picked up quickly on my use of the phrase ?cruel and unusual punishment? and noted it was a quotation from the 8th Amendment to the Constitution of the United States which bans cruel and unusual punishments. ?We got along with that provision for about 200 years until George Bush came along.? Hungerford said, ?Now Bush thinks he can ignore it.? Waterboarding and mock executions certa...
More About: America , Truth , Update , Ruth

The Inconvenient Truth ? America?s Gulags
2007-12-14 08:38:00
Washington?s disregard for human rights appalls former president What a great day for quotes. ?I?m going to speak an inconvenient truth: my own country ? the United States ? is principally responsible for obstructing progress here in Bali,? announced former Vice President Al Gore to appreciative applause from delegates to a U.N. climate change conference in Bali, Indonesia. Half a world away, former President Jimmy Carter had another inconvenient truth. He told his audience at the Carter Center that the United States should be ?embarrassed? for its appalling disregard for human rights. He said the notorious detention camps in Guantanamo Bay and in Iraq would one day have their place in infamy as historic places where human rights were abused ? drawing comparisons to Argentina, Chile, Poland, South Africa and the former Soviet Union.First published by Ohmynews InternationalReproduced by OpEdNews.com He was speaking as the House of Representatives were preparing ...
More About: America , Truth , Ruth

What happened to our Peace Dividend?
2007-12-13 08:53:00
Tired, jaded, and sick of reporting on kids being killed. A personal rant. Dragging myself through the usual litany of death and destruction as I worked my night shift on the anchor?s desk at PressTV in Tehran, I began to wonder, ?What on earth happened to the peace dividend we were promised at the end of the Cold War?? In the headlines. Lebanese general killed in car bomb attack. CIA directors Tenet and Goss to testify over destruction of ?torture? tapes. Four car bombs kill 46 in Iraq. Gordon Brown says Taliban fighters could win role in government, if they renounce violence. Bosnian Serb gets 33 years jail for war crimes. Relations between Moscow and London deteriorate. And there was the genetically altered mouse that is not afraid of cats. Mind you, the cat used in the experiment looked like it would be afraid of its own shadow, so nothing really conclusive there. For a spectacularly short period of time I suppose we kidded ourselves that with the collapse of the ...
More About: Peace , Dividend

The First Palestinian Intifada
2007-12-09 16:49:00
PressTV discusses the root causes, the nature and the outcome of the 1987 Palestinian uprising Twenty years ago this month a popular uprising began in the occupied Palestinian territories. Images of stone-throwing Palestinian youths confronting heavily armed Israeli soldiers are burned into the collective memory of Western television audiences. It became known as the Intifada ? an Arabic word meaning ?uprising.? It was also known as the ?war of stones? ? rock throwing youngsters pitched against a professional army of occupation.Original article published by Ohmynews InternationalReproduced on OpEdNews.com Beginning in the Jabalya refugee camp in December 1987, the intifada spread quickly and soon affected all the occupied territories from Gaza to East Jerusalem. Arguments persist as to the actual cause or trigger for the uprising that lasted for five years, and claimed the lives of 1,100 Palestinians and 160 Israelis. What began with rocks against guns escalated as the intifada...

Former U.N. Inspector calls for total NPT compliance
2007-12-06 08:12:00
NIE report on Iran highlights the danger of relying on national intelligence services The former head of the U.N. arms inspection team in Iraq says more effort must be made to get rid of nuclear weapons and encourage all signatories to the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty (NPT) to live up to their commitments. In an interview with Iran?s PressTV, Richard Butler also highlighted the dangers of relying too much on information gathered by national intelligence agencies. He pointed to the intelligence failures before the 2003 invasion of Iraq, and this week?s embarrassing intelligence about-face regarding the threat posed by Iran?s nuclear program.Original article published by Ohmynews International Reproduced on OpEdNews.com?How could one be so right on one occasion, and now this one allegedly right on this occasion, with two quite opposite results,? said Butler speaking from New York where he is currently Diplomat in Residence at the Council on Foreign Relations. Butler s...
More About: Calls , Total , Compliance , Inspector

Iran Press Watch: NIE Report
2007-12-05 13:24:00
National Intelligence Estimate dominates headlines, and Ahmadinejad calls the UNSC 'unjust' As expected, the top story around town is still the U.S. intelligence report that declared Iran has no current nuclear weapons program, and is highly unlikely to initiate one in the foreseeable future. Tehran Times leads off with a statement by Iran?s Foreign Ministry spokesman, Mohammad Ali Hosseini who said, ?This report proves many facts, the most important being that statements of U.S. President George W. Bush and other United States officials, who always speak of the serious danger of Iran?s nuclear program, are fabricated and unreliable.? ...moreChris Gelken Report er's Notebook http://chrisgelken.blogspot.com
More About: Watch , Press

Iran Press Watch - Ahmadinejad's Adventures
2007-12-01 03:21:00
Solana says he's disappointed with Jalili meeting, and Oliver Stone wants to meet the presidentIran Daily leads with the talks between Iran's top nuclear negotiator, Saeed Jalili and the EU Foreign Policy Chief Javier Solana in London. The paper quoted Jalili as telling reporters that he'd assessed the meeting as positive. However, Solana had quite a different take on things. "I have to admit that after five hours of meetings I expected more. I am disappointed," the paper quoted Solana as telling journalists. Jalili is likely to get a warmer reception in Moscow, despite the plunging temperatures in the Russian capital, if he decides to go there next week. Tehran Times quoted a source close to Jalili as saying "The visit is possible, but will depend on the outcome the talks between the six nuclear mediators." The six ? the United States, Russia, Britain, France, China, and Germany are set to meet in Paris. In a related story, Kayhan International, quoted Forei...
More About: Watch , Press , Adventures , Ventures

Iran Press Watch: Annapolis
2007-11-30 06:48:00
Iran's press predicted a failure at Annapolis ; they may well be proved rightAs widely expected, the Iranian media were less than supportive of the Annapolis Peace Conference. It wasn't that they hadn't been invited -- the average Iranian is used to being snubbed by the West and has developed a thick skin to this sort of thing. Instead, local pundits amused themselves by stating the obvious flaws in the process.The English language Kayan International, for example, quoted President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad as saying, "When the real representatives of the Palestinian resistance groups did not attend the meeting, and the rights, votes and will of this nation were not recognized, the conference would be fruitless."Article first published by Ohmynews International True to form and never one to miss an opportunity, the president added that, "It is impossible that the Zionist regime will survive. Collapse is in the nature of this regime because it has been created on aggression, lying, oppre...
More About: Watch , Iran , Press

IRGC chief warns of Iranian ?tsunami?
2007-11-28 02:41:00
The mountains, faith, and the Basij make Iran an impenetrable ?citadel? against attack Iran?s new chief of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corp (IRGC) had a stark warning for anyone foolish enough to launch an attack against Iran. Major General Mohammed Ali Jafari told PressTV in an exclusive interview that nobody should underestimate the will of the Iranian people. ?I just want to inform our enemies that they should not make a mistake,? he said, ?If on the surface we appear to be simply going about our own business, they should appreciate that beneath we are very ready if the threat comes to pass. We will turn into a huge tsunami.?First published by Ohmynews International Jafari was speaking on a special edition of PressTV?s Middle East Today program as part of events to mark the 28th anniversary of the founding of the all-volunteer Mobilization Resistance Force, the Basij. The Basij marked its annual day on Monday Nov. 26 with nationwide rallies and military exerc...
More About: Tsunami , Chief , Nami , Rani

Washington Tightens Financial Noose on Iran
2007-11-25 11:31:00
Sanctions virtually duplicate those used against North KoreaA key reason why North Korea walked out on the September 2005 agreement reached at the six-party talks in Beijing was the economic fallout from accusations that the Macau-based Banco Delta Asia (BDA) was helping to launder funds and find a safe haven for the ill-gotten gains of the Pyongyang regime.The BDA bombshell was dropped as negotiators were congratulating themselves for reaching the Sept. 19, 2005 Joint Statement for the verifiable denuclearization of North Korea. The deal was reached in the second phase of the 4th round of talks that first began back in August, 2003. It was quite an achievement.Original article published by Ohmynews InternationalHowever, feeling they had been betrayed by Washing ton over the BDA issue, the North pulled out of the pact, and continued work on its nuclear programs with renewed vigor. They eventually tested their first device in October 2006.Legitimate businesses in the North Korean capi...
More About: Iran , Financial , Noose

Classic Cars Tehran (2)
2007-11-22 09:33:00
We discovered this aged, battered, but ultimately "beautiful" example of the iconic 2CV on a backstreet somewhere near the famous Tehran Bazaar, where it was still being used as a workhorse (or two workhorses) fetching and delivering goods.Not sure about the colour scheme though.According to Wikipedia, in Iran the Citroen 2CV was called the Jian. The cars were originally manufactured in Iran in a joint venture between Citroen and Iran National.Some great pictures of American classics taken by my friend Will Yong hereChris Gelken Reporter's Notebook http://chrisgelken.blogspot.com
More About: Cars , Classic

Into the Den of Spies
2007-11-22 09:13:00
Former U.S. Embassy in Tehran is a window into the pastIt was an odd experience to say the very least.Walking through the main gate into the former United States Embassy in Tehran was by no means a disappointment, but faced with a very ordinary looking building (at least on the outside) it was something of an anticlimax. I don't know why, I am not really sure what I had been expecting.Former U.S. Embassy, TehranInside the main building very little of the original decoration remains. The walls have been covered with murals, posters and slogans recording the 1979 Islamic Revolution. As we walked up the stairs, immediately on the left of the entrance hall, we were surrounded by well-crafted murals, a medley of odd images of the takeover, atrocities in the Middle East and caricatures of U.S. military might.Full story and more pictures can be found here at Ohmynews International Chris Gelken Reporter's Notebook http://chrisgelken.blogspot.com
More About: Spies

Mixed Reaction to IAEA Report
2007-11-16 08:02:00
Iran and Washington both claim equal vindication from ElBaradei reportThe latest scorecard on Iran?s nuclear programs was never going to be enough to satisfy Washington, London and Paris. And the vague language contained in Mohammed ElBaradei?s report on Thursday didn?t disappoint.Hailed by the Iranians as a vindication of their ?peaceful? nuclear program, the Security Council allies were quick to cite the report as evidence of Iran?s failure to ?come clean? with the nuclear watchdog.Original article published by Ohmynews InternationalWashington was particularly quick to pounce with its U.N. ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad issuing statements before most people had finished reading the 10-page document."It is clear that Iran has not fully cooperated,? he declared at a hasty press briefing, ?We believe we need to move forward with another resolution in the Security Council to impose additional sanctions on Iran.?Khalilzad didn?t mention the part of the report that clearly stated there has...
More About: Report , Mixed , Reaction , Mixe

Republicans Blast Bush Over Iran
2007-11-14 21:47:00
White House under pressure to open unconditional talks with TehranIs the Bush administration in the United States becoming more isolated in its handling of foreign policy, especially its increasingly belligerent attitude toward Iran ?According to California State University professor Paul Sheldon Foote, the answer is simple."Yes of course, and that is seen in the opinion polls," he told Tehran-based PressTV in a recent interview, "I myself am a lifelong conservative Republican, Vietnam veteran, but I have no use for the neoconservative policy."Original article published by Ohmynews International Despite recent assurances of support from new French President Nicholas Sarkozy, and Prime Minister Gordon Brown's reaffirmation of Britain's special relationship with Washington, Bush is coming under increasing pressure to drop preconditions and open direct negotiations with Tehran.But despite resistance from Russia and China to impose further sanctions, and a lack of conclusive evidence t...
More About: Republicans , Blast

Classic Cars Tehran (1)
2007-11-14 10:20:00
While there are plenty of new cars on the traffic clogged streets of Tehran , the city is a treasure trove for classic car enthusiasts.This Chevrolet Nova (?) I would guess from the early 1970s is the pride and joy of the owner of our local grocery store.We have seen ancient MGs, Renaults, Citroens (the 2cv was obviously very popular here at one time) and scores of 1970s American sedans in various states of restoration - or disrepair!Chris Gelken Reporter's Notebook http://chrisgelken.blogspot.com
More About: Cars , Classic

Around the Middle East: Nov. 9th
2007-11-10 05:36:00
A quick look at the stories 'not' making the headlines on FridayBloggers around the globe have been highlighting the irony of Israel calling for the dismissal of Mohammed ElBaradei as the head of the International Atomic Agency, while the mainstream media has largely missed the point completely.Israeli Deputy Prime Minister Shaul Mofaz this week accused the agency's chief of "endangering world peace.' Mofaz said, "His irresponsible attitude of sticking his head in the sand over Iran's nuclear program should lead to his impeachment."Original article published by Ohmynews InternationalWith what some bloggers have described as a brazen exhibition of "chutzpah" Mofaz made no mention of Israel's own "secret" nuclear weapons program that by some estimates now boasts a stockpile of between 130-200 nuclear warheads."Chutzpah" roughly translates as audacity bordering on arrogance or insolence. Israel has an official policy of denial regarding its nuclear capability. As recently as Dec...
More About: Middle East , The Middle East , East , Middle

Israeli Troops Attack Journalists in Gaza
2007-11-09 05:23:00
'We could be clearly identified as press,' one said, 'but the troops kept firing'With machinegun and rifle fire kicking up the sand around them, more than half a dozen Palestinian journalists crawled on their stomachs, desperately seeking cover beside their car, Nov. 8.With their flak jackets clearly marked "press" and their cameras very much in evidence, some of them started screaming at the Israeli soldiers to stop firing. Others quickly got on mobile phones or radios, trying to summon help.Article first published by Ohmynews International"Journalists , including cameramen from a couple of different agencies, came under intensive fire from Israeli tanks and undercover units as we were covering an incursion of Israeli troops into Gaza on Thursday morning," PressTV correspondent Yousef al-Helou said in his report.In the television footage the journalists managed to shoot from cover, Israeli soldiers and armored vehicles could clearly be seen as they continued their incursion into...
More About: Troops , Attack

Around the Middle East - November 7th
2007-11-08 06:26:00
A quick look at the stories not making the headlines Wednesday 7th November The Israeli air force reportedly dropped more than a million cluster bomblets on Lebanon 's south during the 2006 summer war. The illegal munitions have now claimed the lives of 280 people, including 70 children. The U.N. Mine Action Coordination Center , which is trying to clear the area of the deadly bomblets, said they had identified 952 locations where unexploded munitions were still posing a grave danger to the local population.Article first published by Ohmynews International Obviously the cluster bombs are spread over a large area, but Israel has refused to help in the clean up operation by withholding crucial strike targeting data that includes how many bombs were dropped and where they were dropped. In August 2006 the United Nations condemned Israel 's use of the cluster munitions in the closing days of the war, describing the action as "completely immoral." The small bomblets have...
More About: Middle East , The Middle East , East , Middle

IAEA: 'Iran Presents No Clear and Present Danger'
2007-11-06 04:02:00
Iran calls for more time to demonstrate its compliance with NPT, warns against military actionWhat could be clearer? A respected United Nations agency staffed with some of the best minds in the nuclear business making a bald statement of fact: We have found absolutely no evidence that Iran is weaponizing or any plans to weaponize its nuclear energy program.So why did the United States convene a meeting between the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council plus Germany last week in London in yet a further attempt to persuade them to impose a third raft of economic sanctions against Tehran?Original article published on Ohmynews InternationalMark Fitzpatrick, a senior nonproliferation fellow at the International Institute for Strategic Studies in London believes he has the answer."I think there's a very good reason to believe that Iran's nuclear program has a military objective to it," he told PressTV's discussion program "Middle East Today" on Saturday. "There h...
More About: Iran , Presents , Danger , Present , Clear

Around the Middle East - November 4th
2007-11-05 06:05:00
A look at the top stories making the headlines on Sunday, Nov. 4The 4th of November is an important day in the Iranian calendar. It marks what is now described as Student Day, the day in 1979 when angry students stormed the U.S. Embassy in Tehran to protest U.S. interference in the internal affairs of Iran.The day was celebrated with parades and television specials showing images of the event and the some 90 Americans who were held for 444 days.Not surprisingly, the takeover of the embassy remains something of a sore point for most Americans who tend to see things rather differently.Original article published on Ohmynews InternationalIt is now a matter of record, however, that many of the staff employed at the embassy had been actively engaged in propping up the regime of the Shah by trying to undermine opposition groups in Iran. They were directly interfering in the internal affairs of a foreign sovereign to promote Washington's one's own vested interests.Understandable then that...
More About: Middle East , The Middle East , East , Middle

Around the Middle East - November 2nd
2007-11-03 05:30:00
A look at the top stories making headlines on Nov. 2With so much happening in the region this Friday, its difficult to decide which events have the most significance.Perhaps the least anticipated event was a surprise meeting in Ramallah between officials from Hamas and Palestinian Authority Chief Mahmoud Abbas.This was the first meeting between the two sides since Hamas ousted Fatah forces and took control of the Gaza Strip in June following the failure of the Palestinian Authority to form a unity government acceptable to Israel.Original article published on Ohmynews International A Fatah spokesman said the meeting was a good indicator for future dialogue, but Hamas officials back in Gaza were less optimistic. They said the talks that took place after Friday prayers did not mean the relationship is back to normal. As a condition for further dialogue they demanded that Abbas stop his frequent meetings with Israeli officials.Hamas sees both Israel and the United States as their arch e...
More About: Middle East , The Middle East , East , Middle , November

Iran winds up talks with IAEA
2007-11-02 03:42:00
Washington calls for tougher sanctions as Congress says Bush has no authority for war with Iran The final round of talks aimed at resolving questions related to Iran's nuclear energy program wound up in Tehran on Thursday. The closed-door talks coincided with a meeting in Vienna between U.S. Under Secretary of State Nicholas Burns and Mohammed ElBaradei, the director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency. There has been no official comment on the Tehran talks between Iran's nuclear representative, Javad Vaeedi and the energy agency's deputy director general, Oli Heinonen. Observers, however, say the mood of delegates to the four day meeting was upbeat. Earlier, Heinonen had described Iran's cooperation with the U.N. nuclear watchdog as "good."This article was first published by Ohmynews International Vaeedi was also quoted as saying, "The Iranian delegation and the IAEA delegation have expressed satisfaction with the trend of the talks." Speaking...
More About: Winds

Will Bush Attack Iran?
2007-11-01 06:09:00
[Commentary]Common sense dictates it would be madness, but when has Bush been accused of common sense? One of my Iran ian colleagues just asked: Will there be a war? Will the Americans attack?I wish I knew, I replied. "I hope not," I said. It wasn't a conversation I wanted to get into at that point. But he was persistent. "I work in the technical department. You get to see more and read more. You speak to more people. What is your feeling. What is your opinion?"There is a probability, I told him, but all things considered, a small one. Bush and his regime are becoming increasingly belligerent towards Iran. There have been some reports of "anti-Iranianism" in the United States; the frequently repeated accusations that Iranian weapons are killing American soldiers in Iraq seems to have touched a nerve with some people.But there is no evidence, he argued.True, I said, but be realistic, evidence can be manufactured or invented.What about the United Nations, they say we are doing nothing...
More About: Attack , Atta

Washington: Playing a dangerous game?
2007-10-28 14:14:00
The Bush administration accused of supporting Kurdish rebels in Iraq and Iran"I would like to say," New York based Turkish activist Eser Uzun Belding told PressTV's 'Middle East Today' on Saturday evening, "that President Bush has reiterated time over time that anybody who harbors terrorists, who supports terrorists, who feeds terrorists, who allows terrorists to operate; are my enemies. Now are the politicians in the United States getting mixed up," she asked, "seeing themselves as their own enemies?"She was referring to the apparent contradictions in Washing ton 's stated position regarding its War on Terror that were being raised during a discussion among experts brought together via satellite from the United States, Great Britain and Turkey.Earlier on Saturday, the commander of U.S. forces in Northern Iraq had bluntly told journalists that he was doing nothing, and indeed had no plans to curb the activities of the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) rebels operating in the area. In ...
More About: Game , Dangerous

Turkey loses patience
2007-10-25 00:42:00
There have been a number of developments since I filed this story with Ohmynews a couple of days ago...The PKK declared a unilateral ceasefire - but it was rejected by Ankara. They said since the PKK was nothing more than a terrorist organization with no official status under international law, then they were in no position to offer or declare a ceasefire. Ankara was only interested in complete surrender. Obviously, the talking is over.As if to prove that, Turk ish jets and troops have been making incursions into Northern Iraq.. penetrating as much as 10 kilometers in some places. Not a major offensive by any means, but a possible precursor of what is to come.Turkey losing patience Premier Erdogan warns Ankara will 'pay any price' to crush Kurdish PKKTurkey has warned that it is on the verge of launching military operations across its border with Northern Iraq to crush Kurdish Workers Party (PKK) rebels who are using the region as a base.Despite calls for patience and restraint fro...
More About: Patience