A recent editorial in the Washington Post suggested that the referendum on independence for the Kurdish Region of Iraq, scheduled for September 25, be put off until all the problems of the region can be solved. The problems enumerated revolved around the current president and regional government and sounded more like the talking points of President Barzani’s opposition than an opinion from an American newspaper.
This editorial relied heavily on quotes from Shaswar Abdulwahid Qadir, founder and editor of the Kurdish news outlet NRT. The editorial called NRT an independent television network, which it decidedly is not, in the spirit of full disclosure I have in the past written articles for NRT.
On Monday July 24, a discussion was held on Capitol Hill in Washington DC over the upcoming referendum. This group was sponsored by Representative Trent Franks of Arizona, the London Center for Policy Research and Soran University. The consensus of the group was favorable toward Kurdish independence with the acknowledgment that there are many problems to overcome. The Kurdish representative to the US, Bayan Sami Abdul Rahman, acknowledged the problems but stated that they cannot all be fixed overnight. Independence first, then work out the problems.
The question that has been asked by many is whether this is a good time for the Kurds to seek independence. The general answer to this question is that it is never a good time, but in many cases, must be done. Current regions that have faced or are facing this question include Scotland, Quebec, and Catalonia.
The opposition line is now and has been, why the rush, let’s make a perfect government and then declare independence. I have spoken to some of my Kurdish friends who say they wish to correct all the problems now facing governance of Kurdistan before they seek independence. Others say they have waited long enough, first independence, then fix the problems.
According to some reports, the current movement is a response to the end of the ISIS threat and the need for a corrupt government to once again bring on a crisis that will rally the people to the Kurdish cause. This argument ignores the history of the Kurdish independence movement.
Looking back on history the Kurds have asked for and been promised independence since the end of the First World War. Kurdish children today are more familiar with President Wilson’s 14 points than most Americans. This is particularly true of the call for all people to have the right to self-determination. In the intervening years regional and world powers have always had a reason to say it is not the right time, wait. For most Kurds, the wait is over and they will vote for independence. This is contrary to the NRT social media poll which said 60% of Kurds oppose independence. Most polls predict at least a 95% yes vote.
The question for the American government now is to do what is expedient, try and delay the vote and any discussion of independence or do what is right and support the only consistent ally we have in the region. Make no mistake the Kurds will vote for independence and will open conversation with Baghdad. The Kurdish national army, known as the Peshmerga, has demonstrated it is capable of defending the region.
The United States, the United Kingdom, and Germany have all pledged to train and professionalize the Peshmerga. When the Iraqi army collapsed under the assault of ISIS it was the Kurds who held the line. If need be they will fight for independence. The world can avoid this by supporting the Kurds in their desire and accept that a new nation will be born.
The problems that will face the new and independent Kurdistan are real but not insurmountable. We do not need to go in and do nation building, just support what is there and help the Kurds move forward. This is nothing more than was asked by our founders in 1776. We did not have it easy and did not start with the perfect government, but we moved forward and are still a work in progress. The Kurds should not be forced to be part of a country they have no commonality with but was designated by a European treaty. Let the Kurds decide their own fate.
Paul Davis is a retired US Army military intelligence and former Soviet analyst. He is a consultant to the American intelligence community specializing in the Middle East with a concentration on Kurdish affairs. Currently he is the president of the consulting firm JANUS Think in Washington D.C.
The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rudaw.
This editorial relied heavily on quotes from Shaswar Abdulwahid Qadir, founder and editor of the Kurdish news outlet NRT. The editorial called NRT an independent television network, which it decidedly is not, in the spirit of full disclosure I have in the past written articles for NRT.
On Monday July 24, a discussion was held on Capitol Hill in Washington DC over the upcoming referendum. This group was sponsored by Representative Trent Franks of Arizona, the London Center for Policy Research and Soran University. The consensus of the group was favorable toward Kurdish independence with the acknowledgment that there are many problems to overcome. The Kurdish representative to the US, Bayan Sami Abdul Rahman, acknowledged the problems but stated that they cannot all be fixed overnight. Independence first, then work out the problems.
The question that has been asked by many is whether this is a good time for the Kurds to seek independence. The general answer to this question is that it is never a good time, but in many cases, must be done. Current regions that have faced or are facing this question include Scotland, Quebec, and Catalonia.
The opposition line is now and has been, why the rush, let’s make a perfect government and then declare independence. I have spoken to some of my Kurdish friends who say they wish to correct all the problems now facing governance of Kurdistan before they seek independence. Others say they have waited long enough, first independence, then fix the problems.
According to some reports, the current movement is a response to the end of the ISIS threat and the need for a corrupt government to once again bring on a crisis that will rally the people to the Kurdish cause. This argument ignores the history of the Kurdish independence movement.
Looking back on history the Kurds have asked for and been promised independence since the end of the First World War. Kurdish children today are more familiar with President Wilson’s 14 points than most Americans. This is particularly true of the call for all people to have the right to self-determination. In the intervening years regional and world powers have always had a reason to say it is not the right time, wait. For most Kurds, the wait is over and they will vote for independence. This is contrary to the NRT social media poll which said 60% of Kurds oppose independence. Most polls predict at least a 95% yes vote.
The question for the American government now is to do what is expedient, try and delay the vote and any discussion of independence or do what is right and support the only consistent ally we have in the region. Make no mistake the Kurds will vote for independence and will open conversation with Baghdad. The Kurdish national army, known as the Peshmerga, has demonstrated it is capable of defending the region.
The United States, the United Kingdom, and Germany have all pledged to train and professionalize the Peshmerga. When the Iraqi army collapsed under the assault of ISIS it was the Kurds who held the line. If need be they will fight for independence. The world can avoid this by supporting the Kurds in their desire and accept that a new nation will be born.
The problems that will face the new and independent Kurdistan are real but not insurmountable. We do not need to go in and do nation building, just support what is there and help the Kurds move forward. This is nothing more than was asked by our founders in 1776. We did not have it easy and did not start with the perfect government, but we moved forward and are still a work in progress. The Kurds should not be forced to be part of a country they have no commonality with but was designated by a European treaty. Let the Kurds decide their own fate.
Paul Davis is a retired US Army military intelligence and former Soviet analyst. He is a consultant to the American intelligence community specializing in the Middle East with a concentration on Kurdish affairs. Currently he is the president of the consulting firm JANUS Think in Washington D.C.
The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rudaw.
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