Excellent analysis, plus some very enlightening links.

Known as the PKK after its Kurdish name, Partiya Karkeren Kurdistan, the group is labeled a terrorist organization by Washington, and continues to conduct strikes inside Turkey.

Why did she go off to war? Why would she leave behind the possibility of middle-class happiness--of education, marriage, and a family? And it is, indeed, a possibility. Turkey's burgeoning middle class is full of such success stories.

"Turkey's joint military drill with Syria has not only disturbed Jerusalem, it has also riled the Turkish military, a senior Israeli strategic analyst told The Jerusalem Post on Monday.

"Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan stalked off the stage at the World Economic Forum, red-faced after verbally sparring with Israeli President Shimon Peres over the fighting in Gaza.

"A decade ago, Western and Israeli leaders could count on Turkey as an ally. A solid NATO member, Ankara took decisions based on pragmatic calculations of interest - and erred on the side of caution if at all. But under the rule of the Islamic conservative AKP, this has changed.

"Iran and Turkey want to undermine security and stability in Kurdistan in northern Iraq, according to Muhammad Ihsan, Foreign Minister for the regional government.

"This week's US raid across the Iraqi-Syrian border resembles a number of similar actions carried out by American forces against al-Qaida targets over the last year in the North Waziristan area of Pakistan.

"Turkish Defense Minister Vecdi Gonul is in Israel for a two-day visit, the focus of which is to examine a batch of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) that Turkey is slated to acquire, Turkish officials said.

"Turkey is facing a domestic political crisis that not only threatens the country's internal stability but could weaken its ties to the West and exacerbate instability in the Middle East.

"Signs continue to emerge that Turkey has adopted a multifaceted strategy to combat the insurgency of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK).

Eight Turkish soldiers released by Kurdish fighters have been returned to their army units, the Turkish General Staff announced.

Tonight (Wednesday evening) heavy rioting erupted in Turkish quarters of Brussels, the capital of Belgium. Buses and trams were attacked. Several cars were torched and shops destroyed.

Excerpt:

Who are the Kurds? Most people in the west don't know too much about them-- I admit that I didn't until I did some reading....