Turkish Policy Towards Iraqi Kurds: 2003-2008

This book examines the Turkish policy towards Iraqi Kurds during 2003-2008. Northern Iraq has strategic significant during Ottoman Empire; it was the defense area which protect Ottoman territories from Safavid Empir's expansion. Northern Iraq "Kurdistan Region" remains a significant location for new Turkish state, and Ankara has applied different policies to keep its influence on that area. The study has found there factors which affected Turkish policy towards Iraqi Kurds.(i) Nationalism, this factor consider one of the basic principle of Turkish state.(ii) National Interest, because an independent Kurdistan on Turkish border will affect Turkish national interest in term of stability, and unity of the state.(iii) National Security, it refers to the existence of semi independent Kurdistan on the border with Turkey, the Kurdish situation in northern Iraq made the turkish national security under threat. This study recommended that both Ankara and Iraqi Kurds still have chance for cooperation, and they need collective efforts to protect the interest and security of both sides.