(Zaman) - Pressure is mounting on Ankara to deal more strongly with the cross-border terrorist attacks from Iraq, the rightwing US weekly magazine Newsweek reported in its latest issue.
In an article entitled "The Next Front", Newsweek said that the Turkish military were holding fast for now, in deference to their half-century alliance with the US. However, the article's writers asserted that patience was bound to run out, probably sooner than later as domestic political pressures may take a leaf from Israel's book and retaliate against PKK, reports Trend.
In the article signed by Sami Kohen of the Turkish daily Milliyet and Owen Matthews, Newsweek remarked that the Turkish public opinion and the Turkish press were impatient for a cross-border action into northern Iraq, where the Turkish military believe the PKK is based.
Noting that attacks on Turkish security forces have surged across Turkey's southeast since the beginning of this year along with random shootings and bombings, the article notes that the Turkish press and public opinion continuously wonder why Israel has the right to 'self-defense' and not Turkey.
Newsweek added that Turkey's "usually fractious parliamentary opposition", in a rare moment of unity, has called for active intervention.
The weekly also quoted Turkish Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul, who warned in an article last week, "Moderate, liberal people in Turkey are becoming increasingly anti-American, which isn't good."
Commenting that Turkey, objectively, knows that it has no real option but to remain within the Western Alliance, Newsweek points out that PM Erdogan, who has pushed through so many dramatic reforms to win membership to the EU, would be reluctant to break with the West. "However, if attacks continue to the point where his political survival is at stake, that sense of restraint could abruptly give way. Last week it was rumored that Erdogan was close to such a move,, Newsweek stated.
"For the United States and others, the diplomatic challenge is to help save Erdogan from having to make such a choice. If they fail, the next occasion may require more than a phone call from Bush", the article in Newsweek concluded.