Since the US involvement in Iraq, the Kurds residing in Iraq have associated themselves with Turkey and Western ideals at the expense of the relationship with the rest of the state. Schools in Iraq's autonomous Kurdish region, students learn Turkish and English prior to learning Arabic. Students also aspire to working in Europe rather than Iraq. The US involvement also prompted the Iraqi government to recognize the Kurdish autonomy and allowed the Kurds to keep their own security force. The oil-fuled economic boom of the state has resulted in the Kurds consolidating their autonomy, increasing their leverage against the Iraqi government, and pursing an Kurdish foreign policy in contrast to Iraq's. Kurdish officials stated at the current moment the autonomous Kurdish region plans to remain apart of Iraq but the continual disagreement with the Iraqi government over oil and territory may propel the Kurds to eventually seek separation. The prospect of a direct oil export pipeline to Turkey to be built within the next year also establishes grounds for independence. Currently though, the Kurds cannot survive without the Iraqi government. The Kurdish region is eligible for 17% of the national budget that is funded by oil exports controlled by the Iraqi government.
The idea of an independent Kurdistan is not new to the region. If the Kurds residing in Iraq do decided to become independent from the state this could prompt the Kurds residing in parts of Syria, Turkey, and Iran to seek independence as well. This could result in a major territorial and economic dispute in this already unstable region.
As a Kurd, I know that there is nothing my people want more than independence. While it is true that we have been progressing economically, socially, and politically (at least in the Kurdistan Regional Government of Iraq) there are many risks that come with claiming independence, especially because of the nature of the relationships we have with our neighbors. It will be really hard, both for the Kurds, as well as the Iraqis. But before anything happens, there needs to be much preparation in order to ensure regional security. It will take time, but I'm interested to see what will happen in the next few years.
ReplyDeleteKurds are great and its interesting that many people don't really know that Kurdistan exists or have any idea how the Kurds work in Iraq. The Kurds have a very sophisticated infrastructure system for being in the condition they are in. In fact, it will be very interesting when these educated students go to Europe and come back to their homeland and possibly be frontrunners for a revolution or innovators to improve the Kurd economy and cut the cord.
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