Analyst Michael Rubin has issued a stark warning about Turkey’s military actions in Iraqi Kurdistan, arguing that they pose a severe threat to Iraqi sovereignty. On Friday, Rubin highlighted the extensive damage inflicted by Turkish forces, noting that “Turkish jets and drones have carried out more than 380 bombardments and burned more than 250 miles of farmland.” He emphasised that these attacks have particularly devastated the Christian-Assyrian community in the region.
Rubin explained that Turkey’s military presence in Iraq, which began in the early 1990s, was established without agreement from Baghdad or Erbil (Hewlêr). He remarked, “The irony of Turkey’s declination to participate in the 2003 war to oust Saddam Hussein was that it had already occupied Iraqi territory for more than a decade.” He stressed that Turkey’s incursions are not a new phenomenon but part of a long-standing pattern of territorial expansion. “There is no indication that Turkey will leave Iraqi territory seized under the pretence of fighting the PKK,” Rubin warned.
Drawing parallels with historical instances, Rubin cautioned that Turkey’s actions resemble its past occupations. He stated, “Sudani should understand the lesson of Cyprus. Turkey invaded the island twice, first in July 1974 and then a month later. It was a naked land grab, plain and simple.” He further asserted that Turkey’s actions in Syria follow a similar pattern, with efforts to alter local demographics and integrate occupied territories into Turkey. Rubin warned, “If Sudani does not stop appeasing Erdogan, Iraq’s future will be akin to that of Cyprus or Syria: partition and decades-long occupation.”
