Thursday, September 7, 2006



The new Iraqi flag as desired by Barzani
(Iraqi Cartoon, published by Assafir, 9/7/06)

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The Kurdish warlords (and that is what they are) have not served the Kurdish people well. They have allied themselves with different countries at different times and switched alliances so many times, it is hard to keep track of. They were allies even with the Shah and with Saddam!

The picture that emerges is of very narrow-minded and shortsighted leadership that looks only for personal gain. As a result, everyone ends up using the Kurds and making promises to them that they can't keep. The Americans and Israelis will be no different; they will use the Kurds and then dump them.

It would be a lot wiser, instead of taking advantage of the agony of Iraq and splitting the country, to live together with the Arabs of Iraq under a more enlightened leadership (from both sides) that cherishes ethnic diversity and richness of cultures. The Kurds will still have to live with the Arabs long after the Americans and Israelis are gone.

One last thought: How is an independent state of Kurdistan going to survive (after the Americans are gone), completely surrounded on all sides by hostile states? It has no outlets! How can you get in and out if they all blockade such a state?

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An interesting article in Arabic by a Kurdish writer:

البارزاني يستر فشله القومي بالعلم العراقي
"وفشلت القومية الكردية في تحقيق أدنى حد من الصلاح الإداري، فالمنطقة تفوح منها رائحة الفساد الإداري من المحسوبية الحزبية والقبلية والرشوة وتجارة المخدرات والعمالة السرية والعلنية لهذه الجهة أو لتلك!

والمنطقة مفتوحة لكل من هب و دب من إسرائيلي إلى أميركي محتل وغير محتل، إلى مخابرات دول الإقليم إلى تجار الجنس والمخدرات.. وفوق ذلك تأتي بين تصريحات لا مسؤولة عن فتح قنصلية لإسرائيل في أربيل! واليوم نسمع إنزال العلم العراقي في كردستان! ليزيد من مشاعر العداء للأكراد ويزيد من عزلتهم عراقيا وعربيا وإسلاميا!

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