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Throughout the modern history of Iraq, we have lived in denial. By we, I mean the Kurdish people, who comprise one-quarter of the country; the Arabs and other nationalities who make up the rest; and our friends around the world, who have been hoping that a functional, pluralistic nation could somehow, someday take hold.
As it was drawn from the ruins of the Ottoman Empire, Iraq is a conceptual failure, compelling peoples with little in common to share an uncertain future. It is time to acknowledge that the experiment has not worked. Iraq is a failed state, and our continued presence within it condemns us all to unending conflict and enmity.
Turmoil surrounds us. In the summer of 2014, the face of the nation was exposed when the Islamic State terrorist group seized a third of the country and a significant part of the border with Syria because the most credible institution in the land, the Iraqi army, failed to defend it. Eleven years after the tyranny of Saddam Hussein ended, Iraq was exposed for what it is: a country that cannot protect its people and can barely define its interests.
Compulsory coexistence has not worked. And that is why the Kurdistan region of Iraq will hold a referendum to establish a sovereign state, which would formalize a divorce from Baghdad and secure the area we now control as a homeland for the Kurdish people.
This move will not only offer hope to the Kurds; it will also bring certainty to a divided region. Since the fall of Hussein, we have proved ourselves to be reliable allies to many of our neighbors. We are a bedrock in the fight against the Islamic State, hosting militaries from at least a dozen nations and making tremendous sacrifices to liberate Arab territories from the juggernaut that imperils us all.
Read more @: Kurdistan deserves an amicable divorce from Baghdad
What say you? Do you think the Kurds in northern Iraq should move forward with complete independence from Iraq?
I may disagree with the KDP (the ruling party in Northern Iraq (part of Kurdistan)) mainly because of their hostile actions with the PYD, YPG, PKK, but I do believe that Kurdistan in Northern Iraq should vote for complete independence from Iraq. The Kurds have shown that they are good partner when it comes to military affairs and protection of different sects of the population, but they have also been getting screwed economically by Baghdad. I hope the referendum moves forward. [/FONT][/COLOR]
The central government should lock the seditious insurrectionists up, and not allow the referendum to move forward.
Read more @: Kurdistan deserves an amicable divorce from Baghdad
What say you? Do you think the Kurds in northern Iraq should move forward with complete independence from Iraq?
I may disagree with the KDP (the ruling party in Northern Iraq (part of Kurdistan)) mainly because of their hostile actions with the PYD, YPG, PKK, but I do believe that Kurdistan in Northern Iraq should vote for complete independence from Iraq. The Kurds have shown that they are good partner when it comes to military affairs and protection of different sects of the population, but they have also been getting screwed economically by Baghdad. I hope the referendum moves forward. [/FONT][/COLOR]
Read more @: Kurdistan deserves an amicable divorce from Baghdad
What say you? Do you think the Kurds in northern Iraq should move forward with complete independence from Iraq?
I may disagree with the KDP (the ruling party in Northern Iraq (part of Kurdistan)) mainly because of their hostile actions with the PYD, YPG, PKK, but I do believe that Kurdistan in Northern Iraq should vote for complete independence from Iraq. The Kurds have shown that they are good partner when it comes to military affairs and protection of different sects of the population, but they have also been getting screwed economically by Baghdad. I hope the referendum moves forward. [/FONT][/COLOR]
If that were universally correct, the USA would not exist, and all of our founding fathers would have been locked up as seditious insurrectionists.
Any referendum for self determination of the Kurds and establishment of Kurdistan should not be limited to Iraq, but also include the Kurdish areas in Syria, Turkey, and Iran as well.
Read more @: Kurdistan deserves an amicable divorce from Baghdad
What say you? Do you think the Kurds in northern Iraq should move forward with complete independence from Iraq?
I may disagree with the KDP (the ruling party in Northern Iraq (part of Kurdistan)) mainly because of their hostile actions with the PYD, YPG, PKK, but I do believe that Kurdistan in Northern Iraq should vote for complete independence from Iraq. The Kurds have shown that they are good partner when it comes to military affairs and protection of different sects of the population, but they have also been getting screwed economically by Baghdad. I hope the referendum moves forward. [/FONT][/COLOR]
Yes. I've been to Iraqi Kurdistan several times and I'm always overwhelmed at the progress they've made towards building a modern state: economically, politically, and culturally. They have some significant hurdles to overcome but I believe they are extremely deserving of independence and that an independent Kurdistan, at peace with Turkey, would be phenomenal for the region. However they will never make moves towards independence without firm US and Turkish assurances. Surprisingly I think its possible that at this juncture the Erdogan government would be more amenable to that than Washington under the Obama administration. The military, economic, and political ties between the Turkish state and the KRG have become extremely close with Turkish troops garrisoned in the KRG and the existence of close cooperation on Syria and Iraq.
The major variable here would be what the domestic political situation is like with regards to the PKK and whether a formal and reliable agreement can be secured between the KRG (and its two principle parties) and Ankara to crack down on the PKK. Thus far that doesn't seem to be too problematic especially given their dual views on the Syrian Kurdish issue.
Turkey would have a cow. They may be willing to accept an independent KRG because the KRG has a long history of rivalry with other Kurdish elements that they are less fond of... but including the Kurdish areas in Turkey or northern Syria? They'd go ballistic.
Any referendum for self determination of the Kurds and establishment of Kurdistan should not be limited to Iraq, but also include the Kurdish areas in Syria, Turkey, and Iran as well.
EDIT: However, to get an example of how this may work out, just look to the India/Pakistan split and how well they get along, and how Pakistan (the Kurdistan example in this scenario) is so unstable.
You beat me to it as I was also going to bring up that more than just some territory from Iraq should be included. I'll disagree that it would be similar to how Pakistan turned out. The Kurdish area, especially in northern Iraq has always been the more stable area of the country. If it weren't for all the turmoil around them, their area would be a very advanced and safe place to be.
The Kurds in Northern Iraq, in my opinion, have the best chance of creating the most stable country in that part of the world, to rival modern Jordan. And, they would not have to do so by edict from the crown as Jordan has to do. They could potentially be what the US had hoped for Iraq as a whole - to be a secular government in a peaceful country where the people have their personal, natural, and human rights protected.
The central government should lock the seditious insurrectionists up, and not allow the referendum to move forward.
Any referendum for self determination of the Kurds and establishment of Kurdistan should not be limited to Iraq, but also include the Kurdish areas in Syria, Turkey, and Iran as well.
EDIT: However, to get an example of how this may work out, just look to the India/Pakistan split and how well they get along, and how Pakistan (the Kurdistan example in this scenario) is so unstable.
Read more @: Kurdistan deserves an amicable divorce from Baghdad
What say you? Do you think the Kurds in northern Iraq should move forward with complete independence from Iraq?
I may disagree with the KDP (the ruling party in Northern Iraq (part of Kurdistan)) mainly because of their hostile actions with the PYD, YPG, PKK, but I do believe that Kurdistan in Northern Iraq should vote for complete independence from Iraq. The Kurds have shown that they are good partner when it comes to military affairs and protection of different sects of the population, but they have also been getting screwed economically by Baghdad. I hope the referendum moves forward. [/FONT][/COLOR]
Do you apply this same type of mindset to the American Revolution?
Yes..
That is my take on the Kurds too. They also seem to have the best grip how politics can help a society. The rub is that Iran, Turkey, Bagdad, Assad's part of Syria and Iran are against a free Kurdistan to the point of war.
Read more @: Kurdistan deserves an amicable divorce from Baghdad
What say you? Do you think the Kurds in northern Iraq should move forward with complete independence from Iraq?
I may disagree with the KDP (the ruling party in Northern Iraq (part of Kurdistan)) mainly because of their hostile actions with the PYD, YPG, PKK, but I do believe that Kurdistan in Northern Iraq should vote for complete independence from Iraq. The Kurds have shown that they are good partner when it comes to military affairs and protection of different sects of the population, but they have also been getting screwed economically by Baghdad. I hope the referendum moves forward. [/FONT][/COLOR]
Why single out Iraq when Turkey, Syria and Iran all occupy about as big a part as Iraq (well maybe not Syria, but it has it's piece of the pie)??
View attachment 67201024
Syria recently, mostly since the start of the Civl war, has been sending mix signals to the Kurds when it comes to autonomy.
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