Comments on: A Vote for Kurdistan

By: Adrian

Adrian — Thu, 04 Oct 2007 17:21:16 +0000

An oped in the Boston Globe today on the Kurdistan option:

http://www.boston.com/news/globe/editorial_opinion/oped/articles/2007/10/04/opposing_the_kurdistan_option_for_withdrawal/

By: Michael

Michael — Mon, 04 Jun 2007 20:22:57 +0000

Everything seems to boil down to Why are we settling down in Kurdistan?

If we’re doing it at least partly to protect the Kurds and to push them to respect their neighbors borders, then this could be a good thing. If we’re just using them as a convenient base without minding the realities of their situation, then we’re asking for grief.

Unfortunately, this is Bush we’re talking about here. Good grief, I’m starting to wonder if my lefty friends are right on immediate withdrawal, not because it’s a good idea but because we don’t have the leadership to implement any better ideas!

By: Thomas P.M. Barnett :: Weblog

Thomas P.M. Barnett :: Weblog — Mon, 04 Jun 2007 11:14:34 +0000

Tom around the web…

+ Curtis Gale Weeks says Tom was wrong in The virtual war yields non-kinetic outcomes and ‘Shame on you, sir’. I think that’s a little too strong, Curtis. + Baudrillard’s Bastard linked that post, too. + John Robb linked Iraqi……

By: a517dogg

a517dogg — Sat, 02 Jun 2007 20:34:19 +0000

The Kurds are “pro-American” because America is working for them, in the sense that we are weakening shi’ite and sunni forces that might fight to keep them within Iraq. But the status quo is not to their advantage – they see our assistance (toppling Saddam, giving them air cover, etc.) as steps towards an independent Kurdistan. Creating a DMZ would institutionalize the status quo, and the interests of the US and the Kurds would then diverge.

By: von Kaufman-Turkestansky

von Kaufman-Turkestansky — Sat, 02 Jun 2007 20:09:07 +0000

Ideed, Chirol, you’ve spent some time in Turkey and know how well the idea of something even approaching independence plays in Ankara. If you are advocating the US promiting the idea of an independant Kurdish state in order to enhace security, doesn’t there seem to be a risk that the whole thing might backfire, that Turkey could even cease to be an ally? Seems like playing with fire.

By: ElamBend

ElamBend — Sat, 02 Jun 2007 14:22:09 +0000

You know, I’ve left a similar lame response before. I really do hope that the U.S. is sitting down the Kurds and telling them that there has to be some kind of rapproachment with the Turks and that that includes controlling (perhaps squelching) the PKK. The current Kurdish power structure in Iraq has to take the command decision that they are the power for Kurds and suppress the PKK. At the same time the U.S. and the Kurds have to pucker up and do everything possible to get the Turks working with us. Unfortunately, given the environment in Turkey, particularly the high nationalist, anti-American feeling; I’m not sure how easy that will be. A couple of days ago, two US f-16s strayed into Turkey and Turkey’s verbal response, particularly in the press was a little overwrought and all this comes in an atmosphere of Turkish military buildup on the Turkish-Kurdistan border.

By: ElamBend

ElamBend — Sat, 02 Jun 2007 03:09:42 +0000

Yeah, what’s our best chance for resupply, Turkey?? ech