Tornado Alley (PROG)

[fuagf]

bulldzer, lol, just fluked this .. "Turkey appears to be saying, “Let’s not name it, but tolerate it and reap the advantages of our ties with what amounts to an independent Kurdistan.” The Kurds still appear committed to the notion of a unified Iraq, of course, mainly due to pressure from Washington, provided they are treated as equal partners. Whether this position can be sustained in the long run remains to be seen.

The bottom line in all this, however, is that Turkey is showing it can not only live with an independent Kurdistan, but also cooperate with it, despite the PKK factor which continues to cause tensions between the sides. This is a momentous change of position. That such a Kurdistan will also need good ties with Turkey, on the other hand, goes without saying and is openly admitted to by Kurdish officials."

http://investorshub.advfn.com/boards/read_msg.aspx?message_id=107062175

.. i'd totally forgotten that 'basically autonomous Kurd nation in Turkey' now situation .. just jagged it in a "pipelines" search prompted by your chat with Stephanie on the US-Russia-EU gas supply topic yesterday .. actually while working my pipeline one up and being reminded of the centrality of Turkey in the latest Russian gas plans i was wondering if there could be any influence overlap at all between the 'gas' plans and Turkey's position re the Syrian conflict .. am thinking likely not much if any at all, a wander wonder is all .. anyway, in this digression, a bit from one on the US-Russia-EU gas future ..

"In Washington, D.C., some legislators are advocating for accelerated government approvals of natural gas exports, while enthusiastically proclaiming a new global energy balance where the United States can assure that Europe will have adequate gas supplies to weather any natural gas curtailment by Russia.

Others oppose increased energy exports because they may increase prices for domestic consumers, degrade water quality or increase greenhouse gas emissions.

These disagreements mean that legislation to accelerate the federal permitting processes probably will not become law."

[.. and this bit which definitely ties into my pipeline post coming up 'soon' .. Azerbaijan is key to present US-EU plans ..]

"Amos Hochstein, of the State Department Bureau of Energy Resources European, testified that energy security is an integral part of U.S. national security and that the State Department has been actively engaged in advocating for diversification of European energy supplies, including the natural gas pipeline from Azerbaijan to southern Europe, which could begin delivery in 2019."
http://www.aapg.org/publications/news/explorer/column/articleid/11833/should-the-u-s-fill-the-russian-gas-gap

.. the top Turkey bit does not go to all of your ..

"But Turkey, and Iraq, need to make the very tough decision to create
an autonomous Kurdish state including territory in both of their countries."

but it sure does to the Turkey Kurd situation .. :) .. yup, i'd forgotten it so thanks again for you 'gas' chat with Stephanie .. lol ..