The head of Iraqi Kurdistan has banned the national Iraqi flag from being flown in the region. One more step toward the collapse of what remains of the central government's control over the country?
Posted by armand at September 3, 2006 03:41 PM | TrackBack | Posted to IraqI think such a collapse is inevitable. I'm not sure it's undesirable in the long run, really, though it will surely be accompanied by hideous near-term violence.
Posted by: jacflash at September 3, 2006 04:42 PM | PERMALINKWell it's already being associated with near-term violence, though I suppose one could quibble over whether or not it's "hideous".
If it was just a matter of internal Iraqi politics I'd agree with you and Peter Galbraith that the Kurds splitting off wouldn't be a terrible thing (though I also understand if Iraqi Arabs would vociferously disagree with that). But given what such a move would mean to regional politics, well, you really do wonder if we wouldn't be witnessing the creation of a new situation akin to what's been happening on the India/Pakistan border for years. Not to mention what such an event would mean in other ways (say, its impact on the already oppressed Syrian Kurd minority).
Of course many foresaw all of this way back in 1991 (not to mention 2003), and there really are no good options. But I'm not quite yet ready to support the view that an independent Kurdistan in Northern Iraq is a good thing, from the perspective of US interests.
Posted by: Armand at September 4, 2006 03:44 AM | PERMALINK