Success In Iraqi Kurdistan

I was just reading the story of one of the best examples of success in Iraq, even as "tensions on the border between Iraq and Turkey, the two main US allies in the Muslim world, escalate". In the fall there were frequent cross-frontier clashes between Turkish soldiers and rebels from the Kurdistan Workers' Party, the PKK, based in northern Iraq. This month the Turkish military used helicopters and warplanes against their positions.

Until now the reports from the field were played up by the Turkish side, eager to show that it is being tough on a group that Turkey (and the United States) consider terrorist - and played down by the Kurdish (and Iraqi/US) side, where there is no interest in fueling another conflict in Iraq. But more air raids may change the atmosphere.

Here in Erbil and throughout the Kurdish regional government, this border conflict is largely ignored. Indeed it is easy to forget that Erbil is in Iraq. A different flag is flown here, the defense is assured by the celebrated Peshmerga, or Kurdish freedom fighters, and people speak a different language. The telephone country code is the Iraqi 964 but the mobile phone system, Korek, is limited to northern Iraq, although the company plans to reach Baghdad soon. Only the currency is the same as in Baghdad.

No matter the outcome of the rest of Iraq, we should make sure that the Kurds survive and succeed, as they deserve it more than any other group in that area. They were oppressed and killed at will by Saddam, et al, and yet they have been resilient enough to come back and make their area one of growth and success in the transition of governments. May they have continued success and be a shining example for other peoples' in the region.


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