Iraq just unliberated a bit of itself

[eynon81]

[eynon81]

[Kane]

Jostling for power between the Sunni and Shiite in the ME. Expected.

[exploited]

Turkey is hilarious. No doubt they would love the idea of the Kurds getting their own country from someone else. Plus they have a pipeline in place, and the Iraqi Kurds are already pumping oil without permission from the national government.

I like the Kurds. It would be cool if they got their own thing. I think they deserve it, as they appear to be the only by-and-large sane people in Iraq. And they've been giving ISIS a thrashing. So, yeah, f**k Iraq, you guys should switch allegiances to the Kurds and make them your second Israel.

[eynon81]

[eynon81]

[Saz]

[exploited]

[Saz]

[exploited]

I agree that it is still going to be a problem, but I think the benefits to Turkey outweigh the costs. One way or another, they are going to have a whole bunch of Kurds right there. If they had their own state carved out of Iraq, Turkey would have an independent state (with every reason to keep the Iraqis out) standing between it and Iraq. This state, by the way, is already pumping them a bunch of oil.

It also introduces a new power dynamic: whereas the Kurds could run ops out of Iraq before, and not face consequences, they would now be an independent state. Turkey could choose to attack them and not attack Iraq. The Kurds within Turkey's borders would thus be moderated by both sides: the independent Kurdistan doesn't want war with Turkey, and Turkey doesn't want a bunch of riled up separatists. Finally, the Kurds would be very interested in seeing it's people in Syria being taken care of... and getting that shit-show under control is no doubt a very serious concern for Turkey right now.

In other words, such a thing might set the stage for a long-term reconciliation, because there are quite a few mutual interests now that Syria and Iraq are imploding.

It'll never happen though.