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"Turkey's official policy both in international and domestic affairs, has been and still is to recognize Iraq as a unitary country."

This, too, is America's policy. Doing anything otherwise is a de facto challenge to Iraq's sovereignty and an explicit encouragement of partition.

That said, Ucar, your comments provoke a variety of considerations-

"The KRG is by definition is unacceptable to Turkey. This point has been stressed implicitly several times by decision makers, since it would mean the establishment of an authority leading to the way to a Kurdish national state."

I believe that this might be an obstinate refusal by Turkey to acknowledge a fait accompli that now exists and would manifest itself rather more prominently as a sovereign state. While partition is increasingly unlikely, it must still be considered in light of Iraq's inability to achieve legislative reconciliation.

This PKK-engineered crisis has provoked a delicate balancing act by America's diplomats. To date, I've been pleasantly surprised that we've managed such a nuanced consideration. Too, Turkey's restraint in light of continuous provocation has been commendable.

Ucar, here's the issue- should the Peshmerga eliminate the PKK, what then? I believe that America possesses enough leverage with the Kurds, much less the Iraqis, to eventually accomplish this objective. I think doing so is in everybody's interest.

That said, it will be in Kurdistan that Turks will seek cross-border economic opportunities. Even something so simple as a Turkish trade legation in Irbil, for instance, will find a Kurdish flag flying near by. Do you not send the trade representatives anyway?

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"This aggression will not stand, man!" Jeff Lebowski