Pulling back
In a war, pulling back does not necessarily spell defeat, although it does carry negative implications for the side that has pulled back.
Sometimes, though, pulling back when it is really necessary can play an important role in winning the war and, thus, for those who are not able to do this, serious losses are inevitable. Something that is often seen is that one side misinterprets the other side’s pullback as a victory for itself, leading to serious blows and losses. Are the significant changes in the statements coming out of northern Iraq’s leadership these days — which stand in contrast to those made by the same leadership in the past and which talked about “turning the region into a cemetery for Turkish soldiers” — indicative of a “pullback” maneuver or some kind of acceptance of defeat? We need to interpret this correctly. The policies guiding the northern Iraqi regional leadership these days are not ones of submission, but of pulling back.
14 May 2008, Wednesday
MAH?R KAYNAK, STAR
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