Wallahi, I do understand that it is perhaps a cherished dream for any ethnic group to have a "national homeland" of its own. I appreciate the feeling.
I also appreciate that for the Kurds and with the support of the U.S. this is a chance they'll probably never get again to achieve just that.
But is it right to cause a state to collapse into entities to realize your dream?
In Iraq:
When the new Iraqi constitution was being written, the Kurds objected to the statement that read "Iraq is an Arab state and part of the Arab nation" pointing out that there are other ethnic groups that would be offended. So the statement was struck out – as if by a magic wand disregarding the other constituents of the Iraqi population. Arabs constitute 84% of the population. With whose support was this achieved?
In Kirkuk:
The Kurds insist that Kirkuk is a Kurdish province because it is populated with Kurds, and that it should be part of Kurdistan region. They have taken control of it and the Peshmerga handle the security there and they refuse to enlist or train any Arabs – or Turkmen. Kurds constitute around 40% of the population in Kirkuk, according to Iraqi lawmakers.
In Diyala:
Khanaqeen is a small city that has an ethnically mixed population, most of whom are Arab. During military operations the leaders of the insurgency flee from one town to another with the security forces hot on their trail. Khanaqeen is not a part of Kurdistan region, it never was, and yet when the Iraqi forces pursued their duties to Khanaqeen all hell broke loose. The Kurds went into red alert, and threatened to use force if the Iraqi forces didn't step down and leave the city, all on pretext of the existence of Kurds there. The Peshmerga confronted the Iraqi Army and refused to budge. The constitution says that Diyala is under the jurisdiction of the central government – but in spite of that it was the Iraqi army that stood down. They left their posts inside the city and camped around on the periphery of Khanaqeen. What is the source of this strength, this confidence with which the Kurds are making these stands?
Similar control in other cities in Diyala, Kirkuk and Mosul, all outside the borders of the region of Kurdistan.
Who is in control? The government and the Iraqi security forces – or the Kurds and their militia, the Peshmerga?
Is 40 % of the population of Kirkuk pretext enough to call Kirkuk Kurdish and to fight for it fiercely while 84 % of the population of Iraq being Arabs not enough to call Iraq an Arab nation?
What if every ethnic group in the U.S. wanted a "national state" of its own? Is this a legitimate, worthwhile objective worth breaking up the country for? An Italian region – an Irish region – a Chinese region … Perhaps after that they would subdivide into Christians, Jews, Muslims, Buddhist and Hindu … and yet again into Catholics, Protestants, Sunnis, Shiites ...

I have a question though. If you want all ethnic groups to remain a part of Iraq, to feel included in the country and not outcast, then why would you want the constitution to say that Iraq is an Arab country?
Posted by: club penguin | June 03, 2009 at 04:21 AM
I am a long time reader and big fan of this blog from the US. I have a question though. If you want all ethnic groups to remain a part of Iraq, to feel included in the country and not outcast, then why would you want the constitution to say that Iraq is an Arab country? If the constitution in America said that America was a Christian nation, even though 80-90% of Americans are Christian, I am not Christian and I would not feel welcome. Why should the Constitution include ANY language about the ethnic identity of the country, when it is clearly made up of many different ones? Such language will only make it harder for all groups to stay together as one country.
Posted by: Miles | September 14, 2008 at 12:21 PM
On Iraq. They never had any Democratic election.Only 2% of the population turned up.That's not an election.Its another US line. Maybe its even them who want all this subdivision but if you talk about it happening in the US,Forget it.All states are all Proud Americans.
Posted by: Kevin D | September 14, 2008 at 10:38 AM
Not to mention blonde/brunette; brown eyes/blue eyes; innie/outie belly buttons; vegetarian/carnivore; Republican/Democrat; and those who prefer butterscotch to chocolate on top of their ice cream.
Why should anyone be forced to compromise? Let's build fences and avoid working out differences.....
Posted by: Laura | September 14, 2008 at 01:22 AM