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Yes, its the Turkish military thats drawing those lines in the Anatolian sands and not the Turkish government. EU member Turkey? Oh, give me a break!! LOL

WTF:

Turkish Military outlined its red lines on the Kurdish issue

Ankara Office of the Chief of the General Staff website (25.08.09) published the following statement on the occasion of the August 30th Victory Day by General Staff Chief General Ilker Basbug:

We are experiencing the thrill of celebrating the 87th anniversary of the Great Victory, which was the final link in the independence struggle waged under the leadership of our eternal Commander in Chief, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk.

Victory Week began with artillery fire conducted from Kocatepe on the morning of 26 August 1922, and ended with the entry of Turkish forces into Izmir on 9 September, and the liberation of Izmir.

Ataturk related the Great Offensive and the Great Victory as follows:

"I cannot recall any battle that has had such decisive results, and which has had such absolute consequences in giving direction to all history, not just our history but world history, as the victory that the Turkish nation won here. There should be no doubt but that the foundation of the new Turkish state, the young Republic of Turkey, was strengthened here. Its eternal life was crowned here."

The Great Offensive and the Great Victory were the beginning of the revolution that led to the birth and the development of the Republic of Turkey. This incredible revolution, which Mustafa Kemal Ataturk achieved by creating out of an impoverished people both an army and a nation, was a revolution that gained for the Republic of Turkey the characteristics of a secular, social, and democratic state of law.

We bow in respect before our dear martyrs and heroic veterans, who lost their lives in this struggle and who today defend, by laying down their lives in every corner of our homeland, the gains of that incomparable victory, and particularly before our Commander in Chief Mustafa Kemal Ataturk and his heroic comrades in arms, who won this incomparable battle and carried out the revolution.

As is stated in article 3 of the Constitution, on which no proposal for amendment may even be introduced, "The Turkish state, with its territory and nation, is an indivisible whole. Its language is Turkish." The Turkish Armed Forces are a party, and will continue to be a party, to the defense of the nation-state and unitary state structure of the Republic of Turkey, in the form bequeathed to us by Ataturk and set forth in article 3 of the Constitution.

There is a price for preserving the unity of countries and nations. The Turkish Armed Forces are conscious of the historical duties and responsibilities that are incumbent upon them in terms of this price.

The Turkish Armed Forces, which to date have lost 5,003 of their sons in the struggle against the separatist terrorist organization, will continue henceforth, with increasing resolve, the struggle that they have waged to date, with a degree of success and self-sacrifice unique in the world, against the separatist terrorist organization, within the framework of the Constitution and the laws.

The Turkish Armed Forces believe that, while continuing resolutely the struggle being waged against the separatist terrorist organization, it is important that measures also be taken by the state in the economic, socio-cultural, and international areas, apart from the security area.

It is considered that, although the views on these topics of the Turkish Armed Forces are known, it is useful to state our thoughts and our stance on these issues yet once again on the occasion of this week in which we celebrate the incomparable Great Victory.

The Turkish Armed Forces

- Cannot accept damage being done to the nation-state and unitary state structure, upon any rationale whatsoever.

- Are respectful toward cultural differences. They cannot, however, see the politicization of cultural differences, or in other words their being a means of political representation, or their being made an element of social political identity, as possible within the Constitution of the Republic of Turkey.

- Cannot engage in any activity which might lead to the establishment of relations with the terrorist organization or its supporters.

- Cannot accept those who utilize the areas of opportunity presented by democracy tolerating, for any reason, terrorist activities that target the right to life, which is the most fundamental right of individuals.

- Believe, taking as the point of departure that procedure and method determine the basis that care should be taken in the procedures and methods to be followed.

- Believe that the freedom of being able to discuss any topic should not include topics that would place the existence of the state at risk, or which would embroil the country in an atmosphere of polarization, disintegration, and conflict.

The Turkish Armed Forces, with their heartfelt adherence to the principles of secularism, democracy, and a social state of laws that are the fundamental characteristics of the Republic of Turkey, with their concept of superior discipline, with their established traditions, with their moderate and resolute approach, and, most important of all, with the strength that they derive from the Turkish nation, will continue to fulfil successfully, both today and in the future as well, every duty that they take on.

There is no doubt but that "A Strong Military Means a Strong Turkey."

The Republic of Turkey, with its people who love their country and their nation remaining in unity and loyalty to the country within the sensitive geographical area in which it is placed, must take the place it deserves among contemporary societies.

We most sincerely congratulate all the members of the dear Turkish nation, and of the Turkish Armed Forces, on the occasion of Victory Week.