Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Revisiting Kurdistan: 'If there is a success story in Iraq, it's here'
The Guardian ^ | July 16, 2014 | Luke Harding

Posted on 07/17/2014 9:39:56 PM PDT by blueplum

In 2003, before the US invasion of Iraq, Luke Harding found the Kurds full of defiance and hope. Returning 11 years later – with Baghdad's hold on power crumbling – he finds a self-confident region transformed by oil money

The news from Iraq has been grim of late. Sectarian killings, political feuding and the flamboyant rise of Islamist fanaticism.

:snip:

One part of Iraq, however, has largely escaped the mayhem engulfing the rest of the country. It is Kurdistan, the autonomous Kurdish region of northern Iraq. Its capital, Irbil, is a haven of religious tolerance and relative safety. The suburb of Ainkawa, for example, is home to a large Christian community: nuns and a Chaldean church. There's also a pleasant beer garden where crowds gathered over the weekend to drink Efes and to watch the World Cup final on a giant screen.

Beneath Irbil's ancient citadel are cafes where those who are not fasting during Ramadan can eat lunch – shielded by a tactful white cloth. The city is predominantly Kurdish, but also home to Arabs who escaped from Baghdad as security deteriorated, and a recent wave of refugees who fled Mosul as Isis arrived. If there is a success story in Iraq, it's here.

(Excerpt) Read more at theguardian.com ...


TOPICS: Foreign Affairs; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: energy; iraq; kurdistan; oil
a lengthy but informative read once you get past the initial author bias in the first few paragraphs. I wonder if Bush knows about the rumors of boys named "George" (in honor of him)
1 posted on 07/17/2014 9:39:56 PM PDT by blueplum
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: blueplum

As I said before in other threads, the Kurds, aside from the Christians, are the only worthy people in Iraq. You will not believe how pro-American and thankful they are for what we did. I wish them all the best, and I hope they secure their own nation against ALL enemies.


2 posted on 07/17/2014 9:46:33 PM PDT by Greetings_Puny_Humans (I mostly come out at night... mostly.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Greetings_Puny_Humans

Agreed. Iraq and the entire ME arena was a post WWI divvying up of territory without regard for ehtnic and religious traditional boundaries.

Having said that, there is little to commend from any of the inhabitants as their predieliction is to murder first, and never ask questions later.

Even the “Christian” communities who have been ravaged, insert your own identifier, are rabidly anti-semetic.

If there were ever a unifying principle behind which the satan worshippers and the local “Christians” could coalesce in a solid front it would be to exterminate Jews.

After they accomplish that, they can return to exterminating each other.

God’s judgment on an entire community of “nations” is extant.

“Salvation is of the Jews”. Author quoted: Jesus Christ, the living Son of God and the Word by which all things were created.

Jesus—short biography, a Jew, born of the line of Judah, the line of David, who came to save His own people first, as many as could be, or would be persuaded of His credentials as their Messiah.

Jew hatred is satanic. Always has been, always will be.

Hate binds these people.


3 posted on 07/18/2014 4:57:50 AM PDT by the anti-mahdi
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: the anti-mahdi

Before Ukraine gained its independence, it was the most populous nationality without a state. Now, Kurds hold that record. They are split among Iraq, Iran, Syria and Turkey. If the US would support the formation of Kurdistan, we’d have the largest pro-American state right in the middle of the Middle East.


4 posted on 07/18/2014 7:23:02 AM PDT by Jabba the Nutt (You can have a free country or government schools. Choose one.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: Jabba the Nutt

But our “Friends”, the Turks, would never allow it.


5 posted on 07/18/2014 7:24:30 AM PDT by dfwgator
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: dfwgator

Surprisingly, the Turks came out in support of Iraqi Kurdistan’s independence. Also, we are at the end of the post-WWII order and change is in the air. Turkey’s gone Islamic and is on the loose.


6 posted on 07/19/2014 8:14:22 AM PDT by Jabba the Nutt (You can have a free country or government schools. Choose one.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson