TROUBLING ESCALATION ON THE TURKISH-IRAQI BORDER...

BBC:

Turkey planes bomb northern Iraq

Turkish soldier looks across border with Iraq (file picture) Large numbers of Turkish fighter jets have bombed suspected Kurdish rebel bases in northern Iraq, reports say.

Turkish officials said the warplanes had targeted the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), in areas near the border.

But officials in northern Iraq said the planes had struck several villages. There were reports that one woman was killed, although this was unconfirmed.

Turkey's deputy prime minister said more strikes against "terrorists" were possible in the coming weeks.

"We, as the government, are resolute to remove this trouble from the agenda of our country," Cemil Cicek told the state-run Anatolia news agency.

Mr Cicek also called on Kurdish militants to lay down their arms and return to their homes, insisting their fight was futile.

Turkey has regularly targeted the PKK inside Iraq in recent months, but this is thought to be the first fighter jet raid outside its own territory.

Previous strikes had used artillery or helicopters.

• IN PRINCIPLE, TURKEY HAS DONE NOTHING WRONG HERE.

• BUT IT DOESN'T SUIT OUR GLOBAL PURPOSES TO HAVE AN ALLY AND NATO MEMBER DO THIS AGAINST AN EMERGING ALLY ON WHOM WE HAVE INVESTED SO MUCH.

• TURKEY HAS BEEN A PISS POOR ALLY SINCE ERDOGAN'S ISLAMICIST PARTY TOOK OVER IN 2002.

• BUT UNLESS THERE ANOTHER MILITARY COUP, THERE'S NOTHING WE CAN DO.

• AND IT'S UNLIKELY THERE WILL BE A COUP OVER THIS: THE TURKISH MILITARY MAY EVEN BE ITCHING FOR A FIGHT.

STAY TUNED...