This eerily familiar phraseology was in the English language Turkish Press, 23 August 2011:
Nearly 100 Terrorists Killed in Air Offensive
Turkish military has said that some 90-100 terrorists were killed during the air offensive on PKK camps in northern Iraq on August 17 and 22.
Turkish military said in a statement posted on its web-site Turkish Air Forces jets conducted an air offensive on August 17 and 19 in order to render ineffective separatist terrorist elements in northern Iraq and in the region around Qandil Mountain and to destroy the PKK’s infrastructure.
“Turkish jets hit 13 targets in Metina, Zap, Avashin-Bashyan and Kharkurk on August 20, 4 targets in Qandil, Gara, Zap and Metina on August 21, and 7 targets in Zap, Kharkurk, Avashin-Bashyan and Qandil on August 22,” it said.
“During the air offensive in which the high-tech target acquisition and shooting control systems, jets hit 132 targets while artillery units shelled 349 targets. 73 hiding places, 6 shelters, 18 caves, 8 depots, 14 buildings, 1 arsenal, 9 anti-aircraft positions and 3 control points were destroyed,” it said.
“According to initial information 90-100 terrorists were rendered ineffective. More than 80 terrorists were wounded. They were taken to nearby hospitals and villages in the region. A number of terrorists fled to villages and forced residents in those villages to be a human shield,” it said.
The military said that five terrorists who were among those who ambushed and killed nine security forces on Hakkari-Cukurca highway on August 17 were also killed during the operation.
“Air and land operations will continue both in northern Iraq and within the borders of Turkey to eradicate the terrorist organization,” the military added.
(UK-MS)
This is followed by “Think Tank Justification”: morally repellent justification that we are so familiar in western press:
Head of the Science Committee of the International Strategic Research Organization (USAK) Prof. Dr. Ihsan Bal evaluated the recent terror attacks dominating the Turkish agenda and Turkey’s air operations targeting the PKK camps in northern Iraq.
He stated that the goal of the operations was containment rather than destruction, adding that the operations have psychological and logistical aspects. He emphasized that the operation’s aim was to prevent further attacks, thus the bridges, supply reservoirs, and general morale of the group were targeted. (….)
However, he added that the National Security Council (NSC) decisions and the Prime Minister’s statements show that those enabling the process of recruiting terrorists will also be targeted. According to him, the nature of the operations is targeting the ideological foundations of terror.
Prof. Bal said that Turkey aims for the free circulation of every idea in the social and political discourse, while the PKK and its supporters are obstructing the achievement of this aim via guns and bullets. According to the professor, the government will fight against the terrorist group while still maintaining this social and political freedom. He also underlined that these operations were done legally, transparently, and with international support. He reminded that Turkey was now supported by the USA, which in 2006 was against the Turkish air operations in northern Iraq. The European countries are not in opposition to operations that don’t affect civilians, according to Prof. Bal. This international support provides legitimacy to the operations and combined with domestic support, increases Turkey’s influence in the area.
Prof. Bal emphasized that Turkey’s objective was not the destruction of the terrorists, rather the prevention of the arrival of terrorists from northern Iraq to Turkey.(…)
According to Prof. Bal, activity across the borders wasn’t controlled and the terrorists didn’t feel any psychological pressure in regards to their cross-border activity. (…)Moreover, the democratization process, which was violently obstructed by the PKK and the KCK, will be followed up by the government, according to Prof. Dr İhsan Bal. He also touched upon the future strategies:
“First, inexperienced soldiers will not be used. Emphasis will be given to the use of technical equipment. Operations will be performed by expert gendarmerie commanders and special operations teams. Second, the intelligence received by different sources will be compiled and used at the courts. Third, no decision will be carried out without judicial approval, evidence will be given utmost importance, thus the innocent will not be implicated in the crackdown against the PKK. Fourth, the democratization process for the realization of freedoms and a government based on legality will be pursued.”
Prof. Dr. Ihsan Bal believes that the existing patterns must change and that those using violence shall be stopped. He underlined the need to destroy the act of terror rather than the terrorists themselves. (…)The struggle is to destroy the idea of terrorism.”
