Beware of growing Kurdish displeasure

[bemildred]

The era when Iraqi Kurdistan could be counted on as a
beacon of stability for the United States and its coalition
allies may be coming to an end.

Following the official transfer of sovereignty back to the
Iraqis last June, the word on the streets of Northern Iraq is
that the Kurds have been had once again. The disparity
between people's wishes in the region and Iraq's actual
political direction continues to widen as letdowns
materialize. Resentment on the streets is mounting and the
Kurdish Peshmerga forces could undergo an internal
shakeup in the months to come, with devastating domestic
and regional consequences.

With an Arab-dominated interim government now in
power, many Kurds feel there is no going back to the
position of near independence they once enjoyed - ironically
under Saddam Hussein's Iraq. In an almost nightmarish
scenario, Kurdish politicians have found themselves short of
bargaining chips (apart from their 60,000 strong Peshmerga
paramilitary force) to bring to the table in their attempt to
secure longstanding requests for federalism and control of
key areas.

Reports in early June that street signs in Kirkuk had been
changed from Kurdish to Arabic infuriated and frightened
Kurds across northern Iraq, who now feel genuinely
betrayed by the US and by President George W. Bush in
particular. Significantly, this disappointment has already
begun to exert a negative impact on the Kurdish leadership,
which is being blamed by Iraqi Kurds for selling out to the
Americans to maintain their stranglehold on political and
economic power.

Daily Star

[Gloria]

1. A huge stress point is the issue of property rights......Arabs wanting

their land back.....And, contrary to the popular notion that the area is quiet & stable...there ARE attacks and unrest, just not as many in other parts of Iraq.

And there's lots of talk about secession.......

[Djinn]

2. Surprised the Kurds thought this would be different

Given Turkey is a US ally and EU ally & candidate, there was never any way that there'd be international support for an independant Kurdistan