Free Kurdistan!

[Lancer]

Why shouldn't we make a Kurdish republic out of northern Iraq? If we have to take out the trash we might as well do the job right, yes? So what if the Turks don't like it, we can still invade from Kuwait or the sea. The Iraqis can't do anything to stop us since we have undisputed air supperiority. Self determination for the Kurds is what they want and the right way to go!

The Kurds would also be a firm friend if we needed to go into Iran, the second leg of Bush's axis of evil, since there are plenty of Kurds in Iran...

[Ramo]

We don't even have to invade to pull it off since the region is already autonomous from Baghdad. We could just say, "Kurdistan is independent and its independence will be protected by the US." That's it.

A free Kurdistan would be great, humane goal, but it won't happen for precisely the same reason that it hasn't happened in the past decade.

[DRoseDARs]

While self-determination is good in theory, the reality is that there are umpteen-gazillion different cultures in this world, and many of them might take the formation of Kurdistan as their que to demand their self-determination/autonomous regions. A world of 200 some-odd nation-states could easily become a world of 2,000 some-odd nation-states, many of them too small to effectively govern themselves (government, economy, transportation, education, health services etc.). This is why the United States isn't more gungho (sp?) about supporting its formation, in fact the United States' official position is against its formation. Current thought is that the region would be more stable if Iraq, Iran, Syria, and Turkey maintained their current territories and worked with their Kurdish populations.

[Kropotkin]

No freaking chance in the world the US will go for a free Kurdistan. First of it's not in the interest of Turkey and that not worth it as there's not that much to gain for the US. Who needs another poor and unstable country in the region? Not only this, the kurdish people are spread over a number of borders in the area and what would be the regional effect if a part of it became a independet state based on a national idea? It would probably only futher destabilize the entire region.

[The Mad Monk]

I'm NOT falling for this again!

Someone posted a "Free Winona Ryder" thread a while back, and I'm still waiting for mine!

[Lancer]

Free MM!

What is Turkey now that the Sovs are belly up? I'll tell you what, what its always been up to the cold war, europe's problem! Now we have a chance to support the self determination of an emerging nation, and maybe make a friend that will help us with current problems... We saved the Turks and the Turks helped us, it's a done deal.

So what if the arab world becomes even more fractured and filled w/ small states? It's the small states that seem to want to help stabilize the region by helping us whack all the nasty boys...

[Kropotkin]

Kurdistan wouldn't help you with anything, it would be way to weak to do much other that annoying others and will probably cost the US some to keep it alive.

[Kropotkin]

Also, it's safe to say that turkey is much more trustworthy and stable than Kurdistan would ever be. It's hardly worth to lose them as friends to start some absurd nationbuildning in the mountains. The anger from other states will just make it harder for the US to make peaceful agreements and deals as the US will take side for a bunch of rebels.

[Gods Pet Monkey]

Re: Free Kurdistan!

Originally posted by Lancer
The Kurds would also be a firm friend if we needed to go into Iran, the second leg of Bush's axis of evil, since there are plenty of Kurds in Iran...

A friend in need is a friend indeed...

Regardless of what the Kurds want, Turkey would never stand for it, and the US doesn’t want to piss of such an important ally in the region.

Even if the Kurds declare independence with out any help from the US or its allies, Turkey would most likely invade, and I would doubt the US would do anything more then make the usual diplomatic protests.

[Clear Skies]

Damn Kurdistan, free Tibet already..

[Heresson]

No. Turkey and Iran would never agree on that.

[Bereta_Eder]

Indeed Free Kurdistan

Or don't. in 2020 40% of turkish population will be kurds anyway and things will take care of themselves.

[Lancer]

paiktis, that's amazing, 40%! I had no idea. So if nearly half of the populaion of Turkey is Kurd, and you add in those in Iraq and Iran you might end up with a country with more people than Turkey. That's no small potatoes. A country like that could replace Iraq as a balance for Iran...

I'm more convinced than ever that helping these people is the right thing to do. If we help their oppressors keep them down we will gain only their hatred when they do finally free themselves.

Besides, those of us who are Americans should support self determination if we believe in our country and its heritage.

Free Kurdistan!

[Bereta_Eder]

Lancer, that's why Turkey is desperate in keeping them down.

A large chucnk of its land will go away with them.

"Fortunately" it was able to carry on ethnic cleansing operations (yes burning up whole villages) with german and US arms to quel the rebelion of these people because Turkey is a very important geostrategic ally of the "west".

Other leaders have gone to jail for that.

That is also a reason many Turks are VERY speptical about the EU. Entering it virtually could mean a free kurdistan too.


Unfortunately Kurds are lso divided between themselves.


Also Turkey did treat them better than Iraq and knowing about Tukrye's handling of them I really really fear to think what Iraq has done to them.

[Bereta_Eder]

Turkey also very recently (to enter the EU) has allowed parents to name their kurdish children with kurdish names and has allowed them to speak their own language in public without fear of persecution.

This it has indeed done. But its new law about letting freedom of press for the kurds are NOT being carried out.