LEFTIST MAGAZINE CLAIMS PKK "WILL HIT THE U.S. ARMY"

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 ANKARA 07433


E.O. 12356: DECL:OADR
TAGS: PREL PTER TU IZ
SUBJECT: LEFTIST MAGAZINE CLAIMS PKK "WILL HIT THE U.S. ARMY"


1. (C) WE SET OUT BELOW IN SOME DETAIL AN ARTICLE WHICH
APPEARED IN THE LEFTIST WEEKLY "2000'E DOGRU" (TOWARDS THE YEAR
2000) MAY 30. WE DO SO NOT BECAUSE WE BELIEVE IT NECESSARILY
IS ACCURATE (IT CONTAINS A NUMEBER OF OBVIOUS ERRORS, INCLUDING
THE CLAIM THAT THE PKK ACTIVELY OPPOSED SADDAM),BUT BECAUSE IT
IS REFLECTIVE OF ELITE, URBAN, LEFTIST THOUGHT IN TURKEY. THE
GIST OF THE ARTICLE IS THAT, ASSUMING IRAQI KURDISH LEADERS
REACH A POLITICAL ACCOMODATION WITH BAGHDAD, THEN U.S. FORCES
WILL BECOME LEGITIMATE TARGETS IF THEY DO NOT WITHDRAW. THE
ARTICLE WOULD APPEAR TO CONTAIN NO CURRENT THREAT.


2. (U) BEGIN TEXT.

THE PKK IS THOUGHT TO HAVE PLAYED AN ACTIVE ROLE IN THE KURDISH
REBELLION IN NORTHERN IRAQ. WHEN THE "CHAHS" REVOLTED AGAINST
THE IRAQI REGIME, MANY PKK FIGHTERS WERE IN NORTHERN IRAQ.
SINCE THE ARRIVAL OF U.S. FORCES IN THE AREA, PKK FORCES HAVE
VANISHED. "2000'E DOGRU" VISITED A PKK CAMP IN NOTHERN IRAQ TO
TALK WITH LEADERS WHO TOOK PART IN THE UPRISING.

WE FIRST ASKED "WHY HAVE (PKK FIGHTERS) NOT BEEN SEEN?" THE
REPLY WAS "IT IS ONLY A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE WE CLASH WITH THE
U.S. WE ARE GAZING AT EACH OTHER DOWN THE BARREL OF A GUN, AND
WE MUST BE CAUTIOUS."

WE REACHED THE CAMPSITE, CALLED 'BEHIND SEVEN MOUNTAINS,' AFTER
A LONG DRIVE AND A TWO-AND-A-HALF HOUR WALK. THE PKK MILITANTS
ASKED US NOT TO MENTION THEIR NAMES UNNECESSARILY, CITING THE
EXAMPLE OF LEADER ABDULLAH OZCALAN, WHO CRITICIZED EXAGGERATED
USE OF HIS NAME IN SONGS AT THE 4TH PKK CONVENTION...

PKK COMMANDER BOTAN DISCUSSED THE GROUP'S STAND IN THE
REBELLION. "AFTER 22 DAYS OF FIGHTING WE BEGAN RETREATING FOR
PSYCHOLOGICAL REASONS. SOME PESHMERGES WHO SAW THE GROWING
PANIC ESCAPED AHEAD OF THE CIVILIANS. WE TRIED TO STOP THEM.
OUR WOMEN SHAMED SOME INTO STAYING, SAYING "WE WOMEN ARE GOING
TO FIGHT. AREN'T YOU ASHAMED TO RUN?" WE FOUGHT SADDAM'S
TROOPS UNTIL THE LAST MOMENT AND THEN ESCAPED.

PKK LEADERS DENIED REPORTS THE PKK RECENTLY OPENED FIRE AT A
U.S. HELICOPTER AND LOST NINE OF ITS MILITANTS WHEN THE CRAFT
RETURNED FIRE. THEY ADDED, HOWEVER, "IT IS ONLY A MATTER OF
TIME BEFORE WE CLASH WITH THE AMERICANS," AND SAID THEY HAD
HEARD FROM THE KDP (KURDISH DEMOCRATIC PARTY) THAT AMERICANS
FEAR POSSIBLE PKK ATTACKS.

WE ASKED IF THE PKK COULD WIN A FIGHT WITH THE U.S. THE
LEADERS SAID "THE ISSUE IS NOT TO WIN OR LOSE. WE EXIST TO
STRUGGLE AGAINST IMPERIALISM AND COLONIALISM. IF THE U.S.
OCCUPATION CONTINUES, WE WILL STRUGGLE AGAINST IT. IT WOULD BE
OUR GREATEST ANTI-IMPERIALIST STRUGGLE. KURDISTAN HAS THE
POLITICAL POTENTIAL AND THE ORGANIZED MILITARY POWER TO
OVERWHELM IMPERIALISM IN THE MIDDLE EAST. WE INVITE ALL
PARTIES WHO FAVOR REVOLUTION IN THE MIDDLE EAST TO FIGHT. WE
SUPPORT ANY INITIATIVE IN THIS RESPECT."

THE PKK CLAIMS THE U.S. HAS SETTLED IN BOTH SOUTHERN AND
NORTHERN KURDISTAN. IT ADVOCATES TAKING UP THE STRUGGLE
AGAINST IMPERILISM ON BOTH FRONTS BECAUSE U.S. OCCUPATION IS
THE COMMON PROBLEM OF KURDS, TURKS, ARABS, AND IRANIANS. A
MIDDLE-EAST REVOLUTION COULD SOLVE THIS PROBLEM. "WE WOULD
LIKE TO CREATE A KURDISTAN THAT WOULD BE THE CENTER OF AN
ANTI-IMPERIALIST WAR."

THE U.S. TRIES TO MAKE PEOPLE (IN NORTHERN IRAQ) BELIEVE ITS
MOTIVE IN COMING TO THE REGION IS THEIR RESCUE - AND THE KDP
AND YNK SUPPORT THIS. IN SOUTHERN KURDISTAN THE U.S. IS TRYING
TO WIN POPULAR SUPPORT BY MEETING PEOPLE'S NEEDS, INCLUDING
THEIR NEED FOR FOOD. THE US, HOWEVER, WILL DESTROY PEOPLE IN
THIS REGION JUST AS IT ONCE DID IN THE PHILIPPINES.

THE U.S. ALREADY HAS THE PEOPLE OF SOUTHERN KURDISTAN IN ITS
POLITICAL, MILITARY, AND CULTURAL GRIP. IT LEASHES THEM LIKE
DOGS, USING THE RUSE OF 'ASSISTANCE' TO BIND THEM.

WE DO NOT WANT TO BE UNDER THE CONTROL OF SADDAM, THE TURKISH
STATE, ANY OTHER REGIONAL POWER, OR THE U.S. WHAT THE U.S.
DOES AT PRESENT IS OCCUPY SOUTHERN KURDISTAN. WE WOULD LIKE
LEGAL GROUNDS TO HIT THE U.S. IF THE SO-CALLED REPRESENTATIVES
OF SOUTHERN KURDISTAN REACH AGREEMENT WITH THE IRAQI
ADMINISTRATION, THE U.S. WILL HAVE NO REASON TO REMAIN IN
KURDISTAN, AND WE WILL STRIKE.

WE CONSIDER THE KDP THE ARMED GANG OF THE U.S. AND ITS ALLIES.
A NEW MARXIST-LENINIST PARTY HAS FORMED IN SOUTHERN KURDISTAN.
IT IS ATTRACTING MANY SUPPORTERS AND WE, THE PKK, WILL THROW
OUR FULL STRENGTH BEHIND IT.

END TEXT.



ABRAMOWITZ