A License to kill Kurds
              by John Deere
              8/29/00

              It's open season on the Kurds, but only if you have the proper hunting
              license.

              In two separate articles published on the same day (August 24, 2000) we are
              able to see the duplicity and hypocrisy of U.S. policy as it plays with the
              lives of expendable pawns, the Kurds.

              An article titled "US WARNS OF MILITARY OPTION AGAINST IRAQ," published in
              the Middle East Newsline on August 24, 2000, states:

              State Department spokesman Richard Boucher said the key to US military
              action is whether President Saddam Hussein rebuilds his arsenal of
              nonconventional weapons.

              "If he reconstitutes his programs for weapons of mass destruction, if he
              threatens his neighbors, threatens US forces or moves against the Kurds, we
              have a credible force in the region and we are prepared to act at an
              appropriate time and place of our choosing as necessary," Boucher said.

              Here we have State Department spokesman Richard Boucher telling us that the
              US is prepared to take military action if Iraq "moves against the Kurds."

              Now let's take a look at another article titled "Cross-border raids against
              terrorists justified: US," and published in the Times of India, on the same
              date, August 24, 2000. The article states:

              Answering a question on the periodic cross-border raids against Kurds by
              Turkey carried out on Iraqi territory on the grounds that Iraq-based
              terrorists strike at Turkey, State Department Spokesman Richard Boucher
              said, "In general, we support Turkey's right to defend itself against
              terrorism as long as the cross-border activities are limited in scope and
              duration and they scrupulously observe the rights of civilians in the area."

              Notice that the very same State Department Spokesman, Richard Boucher,
              supports Turkey's right to kill Kurds; and not just within Turkey, but also
              within Iraq.

              Here is a summary of US policy as concerns the Kurdish population of
              Northern Iraq and Turkey: Iraq will be bombed by the US if it takes military
              action against Kurdish "freedom-fighters" on Iraqi territory. If, on the
              other hand, it is Turkey doing the killing of Kurdish "terrorists" on Iraqi
              territory, the US supports Turkey's right to do so.

              Not only does the US support Turkey's right, it has provided Turkey with the
              equipment and logistical support to kill over 30,000 Kurds in 10 years and
              displace millions more – were this Kosovo we would be hearing words like
              "genocide" and "ethnic cleansing."

              You see, to kill Kurds, all you need is the proper hunting license. In this
              case that license is a perk of NATO membership.