Turkey

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January 2008
- Prof Guilty of Insulting Turkish Founder
  
  BBC | Jan 28, 08 10:31 AM CST
  
  (Newser) - A Turkish court today handed a political science professor a 15-month suspended sentence for insulting the country's founder. Attila Yayla had suggested that Mustafa Kemal Ataturk was not as progressive as official portrayals indicate. The conviction heightens scrutiny of the country's commitment to freedom of expression as it pursues EU membership, reports the BBC. More »
- Turkey to Lift Head Scarf Ban at Universities
  
  Der Spiegel | Jan 25, 08 4:54 PM CST
  
  (Newser) - Turkey is expected to do away with a 2-decade-old ban on women wearing head scarves at the nation’s universities as early as next week. The prospect alarms the country’s secular elite, who see the country on a slippery slope to Islamist rule, Der Spiegel reports. “The logic is one of fear,” explains the director of a Turkish think tank. More »
December 2007
- Turkey Hits Kurds With Air Strikes
  
  BBC | Dec 22, 07 3:33 PM CST
  
  (Newser) - Turkey bombed Kurdish rebel targets in Northern Iraq today, claiming strikes on "infrastructure" but no fatalities, the BBC reports. Ten planes reportedly attacked the al-Amadiyah region, which Kurdish officials say is abandoned for fear of military strikes. Turkish officials said the militant PKK "suffered heavy losses in terms of its infrastructure and its human resources." More »
- Publisher Faces Prison for Book on Armenians
  
  Guardian (UK) | Dec 5, 07 11:03 AM CST
  
  (Newser) - A Turkish publisher goes on trial today in Istanbul for violating that country's controversial law against "insulting Turkishness." Ragip Zarakolu is accused of contravening the notorious Article 301 by publishing a book by a London-based author promoting reconciliation between Turks and Armenians. The trial of a relatively moderate publisher is further damaging Turkey's hopes of being invited to join the EU. More »
- Turkey Claims Strike on Iraqi Kurds
  
  Reuters | Dec 1, 07 3:56 PM CST
  
  (Newser) - Turkey launched an “intense intervention” in Northern Iraq today, inflicting losses on PKK fighters—at least according to Ankara. A PKK official denies the strike, and Washington claims ignorance, Reuters reports. But Turkey says that its artillery, helicopters, and special forces struck a Kurdish base with 50-60 militants. "It was detected that the terrorist group had suffered heavy casualties," the army said on its website. More »
November 2007
- Turkey Listens to EU, Will Ease Up on Free Speech
  
  Associated Press | Nov 6, 07 7:07 PM CST
  
  (Newser) - Readying itself for possible EU membership, Turkey's government will soften a law that curbs free speech, the AP reports. An amendment expected to pass parliament will limit penalties for Article 301, which punishes "insulting Turkey or Turkish identity" with up to three years in prison. The announcement came hours after the EU annual report again criticized the law. More »
- Rice Pledges US Assist to Turkey
  
  Associated Press | Nov 2, 07 6:04 AM CDT
  
  (Newser) - Heading to talks in Ankara today, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice told reporters the Kurdish militants who have attacked Turkey from northern Iraq are a "common enemy" of the US and Turkey, and promised that the US will deliver an "effective" strategy against Kurdish militants if Ankara holds off its threat to invade Iraq to rout the rebels, Reuters reports. More »
October 2007
- Kurdish Clashes Deep in Turkey Kill 15
  
  Associated Press | Oct 28, 07 12:15 PM CDT
  
  (Newser) - Turkish soldiers killed 15 Kurdish guerrillas today in Tunceli province, several hundred miles from the area bordering Iraq where most of the clashes with Kurdish separatists have taken place, the AP reports. Iraqi-Turkish talks aimed at reconciling the escalating conflict collapsed before the weekend, and sources say that PM Recep Tayyip Erdogan's visit to Washington on November 5 is Turkey's last stab at diplomacy. More »
- Backers Delay Genocide Vote
  
  Associated Press | Oct 26, 07 3:46 AM CDT
  
  (Newser) - The four primary sponsors of the House resolution to label the 1915 killings of Armenians in Turkey as genocide have withdrawn support, formally asking Speaker Nancy Pelosi to delay voting on the measure, the AP reports. Enthusiasm for the resolution withered after Turkey withdrew its US ambassador and threatened to block US military access to a critical Turkish airbase used to support operations in Iraq. More »
- Turkey Demands US Action on Kurdish Rebels
  
  New York Times | Oct 25, 07 2:50 PM CDT
  
  (Newser) - As top Iraqis urged his country to quell Kurdish rebels with nonmilitary action, Turkish PM Recep Erdogan demanded that the US act to stop those rebels from threatening his country from northern Iraq, the New York Times reports. “We have a disturbance," Erdogan said. "What kind of disturbance did the United States have with Iraq?" More »
- Turkey Upsets the West's Cozy 'War on Terror'
  
  Guardian (UK) | Oct 23, 07 3:09 PM CDT
  
  (Newser) - Why is Turkey's possible incursion into northern Iraq so unsettling for the West? For Slavoj Zizek, writing in the Guardian today, it's not just that it might upset Iraqi stability—things are pretty bad already—but that it disturbs our notion of who is allowed to make war to prevent "terrorist activities." In short, "we" are. More »
- Iraq Promises to Help Turkey Quell Kurd Militants
  
  New York Times | Oct 23, 07 12:01 PM CDT
  
  (Newser) - Urging diplomacy, Iraq today pledged to help Turkey resolve border violence by Kurdish militants based in northern Iraq. Turkey kept the diplomatic wheels turning but wouldn't rule out military action to quell the PKK and rejected its offer of a ceasefire. Iraq’s foreign minister vowed to “actively help Turkey overcome this menace” by limiting militant movement and finances, the Times reports. More »
- Armenian Genocide Vote Withering in Turkish Heat
  
  Politico | Oct 17, 07 6:54 AM CDT
  
  (Newser) - Members of Congress are backing off a resolution that would classify Turkish purges of Armenians as genocide. The bill's approval by a committee last week infuriated the Turks, who called home their ambassador and have threatened to forbid US military use of Turkish airspace and bases to support Iraqi operations if the resolution passes. Turkey is also close to attacking Kurdish rebels in Iraq. More »
- Turkey Weighs Iraq Strikes
  
  Times (UK) | Oct 16, 07 4:07 AM CDT
  
  (Newser) - Despite intense diplomatic opposition from the US, the Turkish prime minister has set in motion the parliamentary process to deploy troops to Northern Iraq. PM Recep Tayyip Erdogan signed a motion yesterday authorizing military action in response to attacks across the border by Kurdish rebels, the Times of London reports. The motion is expected to be approved by parliament tomorrow. More »
- Pelosi Vows to Push Turkish Genocide Vote
  
  New York Times | Oct 14, 07 6:13 PM CDT
  
  (Newser) - Nancy Pelosi vows to take the Turkey-genocide vote to the floor despite renewed Turkish threats and Republican jabs, the New York Times reports. Turkey’s army chief warned today that “military relations with the United States can never be the same" if the vote passes. GOP lawmaker John Boehner called it “the most irresponsible thing I've seen Congress do this year," AFP reports. More »
- US Envoys Try to Soothe Angry Turks
  
  BBC | Oct 13, 07 4:38 PM CDT
  
  (Newser) - Two US envoys flew to Ankara today to urge Turkey not to strike back against Kurdish militants, the BBC reports. Relations between the NATO allies remain strained after US lawmakers accused Turkey this week of waging a WWI-era genocide campaign against Armenians. Turkey reacted by recalling its ambassador from Washington. More »
- Turkey Recalls Its Top US Envoy
  
  Reuters | Oct 11, 07 1:49 PM CDT
  
  (Newser) - Turkey temporarily recalled its ambassador to the US today, the latest sign of strain in relations between Washington and Ankara. Tensions are high after the House Foreign Affairs Committee's resolution to term as genocide the death of 1.5 million Armenians in 1915-17, Reuters reports. "It should not be understood that we have pulled him back permanently," a Turkish diplomat said. More »
- Turkey Enraged by Genocide Bill
  
  BBC | Oct 11, 07 9:02 AM CDT
  
  (Newser) - Turkey erupted today over a US bill that would officially recognize the 1915-1917 mass killings of 1.5 million Armenians in Turkey as genocide. Turkey’s president said the House Foreign Affairs Committee, which passed the resolution 27-21, “sought to sacrifice big problems for small domestic political games.” He promised “serious trouble” for US-Turkish relations, reports the BBC. Turkey is a key US ally and staging ground for the Iraq war. More »
- Over Bush Objections, House Panel OKs Armenia Bill
  
  New York Times | Oct 10, 07 8:34 PM CDT
  
  (Newser) - A House committee today approved a resolution calling World War I-era killings of Armenians by the Turkish government "genocide," despite warnings from the White House and an intense lobbying effort by Turkey. The resolution is largely symbolic, the New York Times reported, but its passage by the full House could have broad consequences reaching as far as Iraq. More »
- Armenia Measure Puts White House, Turkey on Edge
  
  Washington Post | Oct 10, 07 11:03 AM CDT
  
  (Newser) - A bill to term the World War I-era deaths of 1.5 million Armenians at the hands of the Turkish government "genocide" is winning support in Congress—making the White House squirm and Turkey fume, the Washington Post r eports. President Bush and eight former Secretaries of State have warned Speaker Nancy Pelosi the issue jeopardizes a major US alliance. More »