Please don't type in all CAPS, it's the equivalent to YELLING, let alone hard to read, thank you.
Bush must be thinking about this now
hello - I often read your blog, but have never posted before. Please don't worry about Kurdistan, it's an insane time now and one thing at a time, but Americans have always known you have been our friends all along, we've known that for years, and have heard such wonderful things about your nation and people. I know many Kurdish people must be worried, I understand that. We will never forget it, we won't let you down, and we won't let our government either. That's why these blogs are so great, YOU can keep us informed. We can get any important news for you in the US, if need be. Let us know EVERYTHING you think is important. God bless you, and keep writing! I'll keep reading.
dream on. soon the infidel americans will leave and you will have no one to run to.
there is nothing called kardistan or kurdistan. find a cave in the mountain soon the usa will leave
"Your authority stops at Baquba."
I love this sentence!!
I should point out that if the Kurds were able to fight off Saddam's army with only a no-fly zone to protect them, they should be more than capable of fighting off the Arab terrorists if they attempt to infiltrate Kurdish territory.
Of course, their situation will be worse if the Americans leave (which they won't at least not in the next two years), since they'll be land-locked by Turkey, Iran, and the southern portion of Iraq. They won't have an open supply line to support them against the Arab-financed insurgent groups. (Though I would assume that the CIA would fidn a way to route money and equipment to them). However, the insurgents don't have the tanks and helicopters that Saddam's army had, so the playing field between the Kurds and Arabs would be much more level. I suspect that the Kurds would be able to maintain their autonomy, though with considerably less economic prosperity.
Yea that line was pretty good, I would love to have seen the Arab government official's face when he heard that.
As for the future of Kurdistan; the Kurds have been around for thousands of years. Before the Arabs, before Islam, before the Ottomans, before Saddam, before Anfal and THERE ARE STILL HERE NOW.
Only now, as Andromeda was saying, they are in a much better position to fight.
It would be SUICIDAL for the Sunnis, or even the Shi'ites with Iran's backing, to create an all out civil war with the Kurds.
There are two possibilities in my mind, 1)declaration of independance after the state or province calling for referendum to ask people to choose independance or to remain as part of Iraq 2)accept to be part of Iraq under pressures of surrounding countries and the Arabs inside Iraq but have certain autonomy, something similar to the States of USA. In other words, a federation of Iraq. The first possibility is high risk and high return while the second possibility is low risk and low return. For the second possibility, Kurdish also have the chance to declare independance later, if the laws of Iraq allows. However, depending on conditions, Kurdish and Arab Iraqis may struggle with Kirkurk leading to another internal conflict. My advice to the Kurdish is to be aware of Turkey putting pressure on the United States.
Let America warn Turkey that they are choking on their neck for their unfriendly relations with US opposing Iraq War, not allowing use of military installations, invading northern portions of Iraq by sending troops, and boycotting American products with the uprise of the Turka Cola. The Turka Cola CM and the Turkish opposing War have made the Americans very mad.
Since the Turks, the Syrians, the Iranians, and the Arabic Iraqis are all dead set against an independent Kurdistan, I don't see how the ideal can possibly become reality.
If this is true, it's a pity. The Kurds are very fine people who deserve better.
Ken, yeah, I think the solution is to give more autonomy to each province. So the two Kurdish provinces (which I think are controlled by different parties anyway) can each be semi-autonomous from the central government. Let each province manage it's own police and "guard". I think this is the same in the US too. The 'National Guard' is sort of set up on a state-by-state basis.
This way the Shiite and Sunni provinces will also have some autonomy. Just give more power to the provincial governments. I think everyone will be relatively happy that way.
I never thought for a minute that peace and prosperity would be automatic after the fall of SH. I expected problems - although these terrorists really are going overboard. They won't win, though.
I don't have any answers for what would be appropriate for Kurdistan. The suggestions here sound reasonable from where I'm sitting anyway.
Keep safe.
arab_knight --
That is a really stupid comment. You do realise that the Kurds are in a much better position to fight than when SH was in power, don't you? Each side has the power to inflict serious casualties on the other, but not the power to crush the other. I recommend dialogue as a less costly alternative.
Maybe arab_knight is one of the cockroaches who ran away from Fallujah like a rat after blabbing his fatface falafel-stuffing mouth all summer about how Fallujah was the graveyard of the Americans.
Why be another landlocked country like Afghanistan? Turkey and Iran can,and probably would,cut off Kurdistans fresh water supply.
An independent Kurdistan would be another basket case for the world to feed. An autonomous Kurdistan is better for Kurds.
BTW,who's whacking the Wahhabi clerics,Peshmergas? Give them a pat on the back. The violence seems to be dying down. Those clerics were targeting innocent Iraqi's with their stupid fatwas. Fair game in my book.
I'm a different Ken than posted previously.
I don't think the Turks will interfere with Iraqi Kurds as long as you don't incite Turkish Kurds. The Turks want to join the EU and any foolish military action on their part would preclude that, nevermind the fact that they would also be facing a fairly intollerent superior US military.
As far as the US military leaving Iraq anytime soon, I wouldn't expect that. The newly elected Iraqi government is going to need US protection for years to come. You probably won't see the US military patrolling Iraqi streets much longer, but they won't be far away.
The American people have re-elected President Bush. You can expect to see us there for at least four more years. I suspect five times that long.
Nice Blog. Keep up the good work.
"Since the Turks, the Syrians, the Iranians, and the Arabic Iraqis are all dead set against an independent Kurdistan, I don't see how the ideal can possibly become reality."
The surrounding nations were all against an independent Poland, but the Poles got what they wanted in the end.
I think a loose federation is the best solution for Iraq-Kurdistan right now. Kurdistan should have as much autonomy as possible without annoying the Turks and the rest.
"Arab knight" is the same person as "Christian Crusader" and "Bush Lied".
Trolls are best ignored.
Arab_Lied(= Arab knight + Bush Lied) even doesnt know that IT can track his ass down, Don right?
what a pitty!
I think we could have declared it, the only reason we cant right now is the 6 year internal war! NOTHING ELSE!
The Turks have too much to deal with, the Iranians cant say anything coz their Kurds are about to uprise! The syrians, well pretty busy with Israel, and the Arabs, they are afraid of Peshmarga's, and in case it goes to a civil war, then every single kurd will turn to a Peshmarga just like 1991!
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