Al Zarqawi

I had the same feeling today as I did in 2003 when Saddam was captured. A mix of surprise, happiness, and hope. As everyone knows, the capture of Saddam didn't really seem to do much for the situation. We may as well believe the same today, but I hope today's events prove us wrong.

I talked in depth about the implications of Zarqawi's death with a new member of the sales team here at Basak Emeklilik. Ersin is a very bright and energetic young employee, but what made him special in this conversation was that he served in Iraq with Turkish forces. More specifically he worked on the Iraqi Border sleeping on dirt roads for 10 months stopping the influx of immigrants and fighting the PKK. From my perspective, it seems like the obligatory military duty in Turkey is not too big of a deal. Turkish forces are mainly in Turkey and Cyprus. And the duty is usually no longer than 16 months. Ersin was in the full 16 months and he did actually fight. And it really really had an effect on him. Without thinking I asked him what he learned in the military, and he went from two hours of energy to an immediate stoicism, with a blank stare. After a few moments, he told me it wasn't the right time to speak of his experience. He would need a quieter place with some fish and Raki (Turkish national alcohol).