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elleng

(130,126 posts)
Mon Jul 14, 2014, 11:56 AM Jul 2014

Get Ready for Kurdish Independence.

By ZALMAY KHALILZAD

In the coming weeks, Iraq’s leaders must make existential decisions. If they cannot form a unity government led by a new prime minister and motivate Sunni moderates and tribes to fight the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, Iraq is likely to disintegrate.

If the central government fails to grant satisfactory concessions to Sunnis and Kurds, the Kurds will push for sovereignty and independence. The Kurds are serious, and the international community must adapt to this emerging reality. While all Iraqi leaders bear responsibility for resolving the current crisis, the greatest share lies with the country’s Shiite politicians, who dominate the central government. Shiite parties must select a candidate for prime minister who can share power, decentralize the government and depoliticize the security forces.

As a prerequisite for working with the central government, Kurdistan seeks the right to export its own oil; integrate Kirkuk and other recently acquired areas; settle past budget issues and keep its own autonomous finances; and maintain control of the region’s Peshmerga security forces, including acquiring weapons to defend itself against ISIS.

The Kurds aren’t confident that Baghdad will accept these demands and have initiated parallel preparations for independence. Massoud Barzani, the Kurdish president, has asked the region’s parliament to establish an electoral commission and set a date to conduct a referendum.

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/07/14/opinion/iraqs-urgent-need-for-unity.html?hp&action=click&pgtype=Homepage&module=c-column-top-span-region&region=c-column-top-span-region&WT.nav=c-column-top-span-region&_r=0

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Get Ready for Kurdish Independence. (Original Post) elleng Jul 2014 OP
the Kurds' hand is certainly a lot stronger than it was two months ago. geek tragedy Jul 2014 #1
An Independent Kurdistan, Ma'am, Is Pretty Much An Established Fact Now The Magistrate Jul 2014 #2
Not If, imthevicar Jul 2014 #3
I Do Not Think They Do, Sir The Magistrate Jul 2014 #4
better late than never quadrature Jul 2014 #5
 

geek tragedy

(68,868 posts)
1. the Kurds' hand is certainly a lot stronger than it was two months ago.
Mon Jul 14, 2014, 01:10 PM
Jul 2014

Unlike the pathetic Iraqi army, the peshmerga militias tend to win fights against ISIS.

The Magistrate

(95,237 posts)
2. An Independent Kurdistan, Ma'am, Is Pretty Much An Established Fact Now
Mon Jul 14, 2014, 02:00 PM
Jul 2014

All that is left is producing various pieces of formal paper; the thing itself has happened, and some would say, happened about ninety-five years too late.

The Magistrate

(95,237 posts)
4. I Do Not Think They Do, Sir
Mon Jul 14, 2014, 06:53 PM
Jul 2014

Erdogan has pretty much neutered the Turkish Army, and it was Army policy to repress Kurdish aspirations. He is far to engaged in trying to hold on in Istanbul, and deal with the ramification of Syria, to manage much in the direction of a Kurdish state emerging within what was formerly Iraq.

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