The Kurds

[B-17engineer]

So, I know this is a touchy subject, but keeping it away from Politics as much as possible...why hasn't the UN, US, or whoever is in the Middle East looked to ally with the Kurdish people? Is it a fear supplying them/training them and having them turn on us? I know al-Maliki is supported by the US and the Kurds would want him to fail for an independent Kurdistan.

Just thinking....having an ally with a decently trained group of soldiers wouldn't necessarily be a bad thing.. but I'm asking for reasons why we haven't made some sort of alliance/aid with the Kurds because there are obvious reasons we haven't...I just don't know them.

 

[parsifal]

US was supportive of a single state solution post Hussein, until it became clear the regime itself is a big part of the problem. Supporting the Kurds is very devisive to Iraqi unity. It plays into iranian hands, who want nothing better than for iraq to disintegrate. supporting Kurdish aspiration also upsets the Turks.

But the Kurds are turning into a reliable regime, and one willing to pretty closely align to western interests

 

[GrauGeist]

I understand now, that Turkey and the Khurds of northern Iraq have reached a peace accord that enables the Khurds to focus on defending their region's frontier against the ISIS forces.

The other thing I have read recently, is that the Khurdish region is the only part of Iraq that is prospering with low unemployment and economic growth...

 

[Wildcat]

The RAAF has flown a couple of weapon drops to Kurdish fighters in the last few weeks. I was under the impression other nations were doing the same?

 

[evangilder]

The Kurds have indeed done quite well in the north and have also proved a reliable ally. A lot of our airstrikes against ISIS have been in defense of the Kurdish forces. While I think that that area of Iraq is the most stable, the rest of the country is a powder keg.

 

[gjs238]

Post Desert Storm (Gulf War I, First Gulf War) didn't the Kurds attempt a rebellion against Saddam expecting US/coalition support?

PS: Here is the Wikipedia page on the subject
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1991_uprisings_in_Iraq

 

[imalko]

One should also bear in mind that ethnic Kurds don't live just in Iraq, they also live in large number in Turkey. And Turkey had been fighting and persecuting them for decades. There are even accusations on Turkish genocide over the Kurds dating back to the Ottoman time. Since Turkey is an important NATO member and US ally in the region, I just don't see how the US could support the Kurds at the same time.

 

[Capt. Vick]

A little off the topic, but I have a buddy who was stationed in Kurdish northern Iraq and he said it was the closest he came to being treated like a rock star.

 

[GrauGeist]

I did see a report where the Khurds are hurting for weaponry. They don't have much in the way of heavy firepower, just rifles, sidearms and shoulder-mounted weapons.

They have been making it work for them, but they're definitely bringing a knife to a gunfight at the moment.

 

[Dornier Pfeil]

I did see a report where the Khurds are hurting for weaponry. They don't have much in the way of heavy firepower, just rifles, sidearms and shoulder-mounted weapons.

They have been making it work for them, but they're definitely bringing a knife to a gunfight at the moment.

Respectfully disagree with that report:
Iraqi Kurd fighters prepare a 120mm mortar for firing on Monday at an artillery position in Kobani, Syria, near the border with Turkey. FREDERIC LAFARGUE

 

[GrauGeist]

It's awesome that the Khurds have a 120mm...

A 120mm...

It's a matter of record where their commanders are asking (actually pleading) for more ammunition, heavier weapons and better support. They are making their own armored vehicles, which in many cases, are no match for the captured Iraqi AFVs that ISIS possess.

Uphill Battle Against ISIS for Kurdish Forces in Need of Modern Weapons

BBC News - Iraqi Kurdish leader Barzani seeks weapons to fight IS

Kurdish soldiers are paying for their weapons out of their own pockets | Public Radio International

 

[vikingBerserker]

I really like and respect the Kurds. More power (and fire power) to them!

 

[Shinpachi]

In 1902 when Russians were in Manchuria, the world shouted "More support to Japanese!".
In 1937 when Japanese were in China, the world shouted "More support to Chinese!"
If I were a Kurd, I would think this is a very good chance to take power in the region and will obey the world as an honest man.

 

[evangilder]

The Kurds are resourceful and tough. It seems it's been a month or more since the pant-wetting press claimed that Kobani would fall in a matter of days. Some theorized that no matter how much we supplied them, they needed western troops, etc. Kobani has not fallen to ISIS yet and the battles there have been fierce. They have survived in host countries, often as second-class citizens and given an opportunity to have a place of their own would most likely do very well. They are more moderate and have seen enough extremism over the last few decades to not fall into that trap.

 

[parsifal]

Couldnt agree more Evan, but there are still political problems in supporting the Kurds. Turkey absolutely hates them is one problem. Second one is that supporting the Kurds weakens or smashes up the fragile Iraqis even more, which favours the Iranians even more.

Im not sure what to advocate here, but my gut says support them. The rest of iraq aint worth saving, and iran is what it is. Turkey will get over it i think.....

 

[vikingBerserker]

In regards to Turkey I think it comes down to which is the lesser of the 2 evils, Kurds or ISIS. I was listening to the radio the other day and they were saying Turkey was busing Kurds that wanted to fight to the border.

 

[Marcel]

Hmm, What happened to the PKK? There are terrorists amongst Kurds just as they are amongst other people. I don't believe in these kinds of black/white thinking anymore. But I just think IS is the worst of the options.