October 23, 2017

Most observers agree that Kurdistan Regional Government’s (KRG) independence referendum backfired; Massoud Barzani overplayed his hand and lost; and, his inclusion of “disputed territories” in the referendum was an overreach. The mood in Arbil is one of resentment because the referendum received no international support. One could perhaps add in this respect that Mr. Barzani’s timing was also wrong coming just one week ahead of the Catalan referendum which made use of double standards impossible.

The people of Iraq have not lived in peace since 1980, the beginning of the Iraq-Iran war. This eight-year war was followed by the 1990 Iraqi invasion of Kuwait and the First Gulf War. Then came the US invasion in 2003. And, the battle against ISIS has been going on for more than three years and has resulted in great human suffering and devastation.   Okumaya devam et →