An independent Kurdistan? Not if the US and Iran can prevent it.

Submitted by Michael S. (United States), Sep 14, 2014 at 08:15

The Kurds have shed a great deal of blood, this past century, fighting for independence, autonomy or recognition (whichever might be most practical at the time). They can be trusted to use any weapons they get, to further these aims.

I don't expect the Kurds to share US foreign policy in the Middle East -- especially, because the US HAS no real, consistent foreign policy there other than reacting to things as they come up. They are highly unlikely to go deep into ISIS-held areas, even with US air strikes; because they know the US will desert them at any moment and they do not want to be saddled at that moment with the care and feeding of millions of Arabs and Turks.

The Kurds are a land-locked people, like Afghanistan, Turkmenistan, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia and Laos. None of the above is a major player in world affairs. I notice that a Wall Street Journal article suggested the US build an air base there to replace the one we aren't allowed to use in Turkey. I don't expect this to happen.

Israel is no doubt interested in Kurdistan, because it borders Iran and provides an excellent jumping-off place for attacks on Iran. THAT is the sort of reason worth pursuing, rather that word that seems to be going out of style, namely, "trust". You can bet that Mssrs. Obama and Kerry will do anything in their power to keep Israel from getting this foothold, because they are paranoid of offending Iran.

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