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'No Friends But the Mountains'

By most accounts, the past decade has been a blessing for Iraq's long-oppressed Kurdish minority. As war has devastated the rest of the country, the semi-autonomous Kurdish north has enjoyed enough relative stability that some guidebooks now tout it as the "Switzerland of the Middle East." But while prospects for the region are better than ever, troubles simmer just below the surface-and, with this quick look at Kurdistan's tumultuous history, it's not hard to see why.

 
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  • Posted By: rejneh @ 03/27/2009 10:26:29 PM

    the comment which suggest that it has been "kurdificatio" of non kurdish area is strictly false.On the contrary many non kurdish fly otheparts of Irak to insatall in the safe haven provide by the kurdish peshmarga while the kurds who had been displaced by Saddams regime still waiting for returning to theire house and farm situated in the troubled ara which is still infested by the terrorists.

  • Posted By: Waleeta @ 03/16/2009 3:33:38 PM

    Perhaps in the next issue of Newsweek, writers can discuss the oppression the KDP is impressing upon the (actual) indigenous peoples of North Iraq, the Assyrians, and the Kurdification of Assyrian history (and Shabak and Yezidi identity). In an effort to consolidate their power and realize their dream of political independence, they in turn usurp land which belongs to others and bring in Kurds from surrounding countries.

    Not to mention the (US Government recognized) voter suppression and disenfranchisement of the ethno-religious minorities whose lands they seek to turn into "Kurdistan" - in a country where - even 50 years ago - their population was smaller than that of Iraqi Assyrian Christians.

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