The ancient Kurdish city of Kirkuk has come under control of the Hashd al-Shaabi with no objection - except for the guerrilla forces and the people to some extent.

Appearances and rumors would suggest that it was not possible to resist, because the Iraqi army and Hashd al-Shaabi were too large forces. There apparently was one way left, to supposedly run with your tail between your legs!

The attack wasn’t just on Kirkuk. The Hashd al-Shaabi continues an extensive attack on almost all of the area called the Middle Zone. It is difficult to estimate how far the attacks will go, or how far these forces -including the Iraqi army- will go, or rather how far they have permission to go. But it does appear that there is a deal made. And this deal includes the known colonialist forces, along with the KDP and the PUK, and also the US. Trump’s comments of “neutrality” is, in this context, not for nothing.

So, if Kirkuk and the Middle Zone (“south of Latitude 36” in their words) was to be abandoned, and without shooting a bullet at that, so why did they hold an independence referendum with huge propaganda? And, why were those who said it wasn’t the right time or place for the referendum insulted and accused of “treason”? What happened to all the “I will never take one step back from the referendum even if it costs me my head”s? Or, why don’t those who said international forces were with them and were backing them come forward now and say something?

It is possible to ask these questions and then some.

But a more important issue is that the results of this “give-and-take” deal in Dukan go unnoticed. To put it more accurately, the efforts to make them go unnoticed.

The leader cadres of the KDP and PUK came together in Dukan. Iraqi President Fuad Masum was also present. As far as we saw from the TV, everybody was cheerful. How did this cheerful meeting result in the fall of Kirkuk and the displacement of thousands of our people? How is it appropriate that Kurds in dozens of places like this are to suffer as winter approaches?

Yes, when one uses logic to go just beyond what is told or shown, it’s apparent that in Dukan, Mr. Melle Bahtiyar and Mr. Nechirvan Barzani agreed to abandon Kirkuk and other places to the Iraqi regime, under supervision of Fuad Masum. And it is quite possible that Fuad Masum said, “If Kurds don’t withdraw from Kirkuk and the south of Latitude 36, many inter-state forces including the US will withdraw their support and Iran, Turkey and Iraq will attack Kurds together”. In this sense, with a play similar to the “Hunger Games” suggested to trick the public, the path to withdrawal has been shown to those who spoke of referendum and that they would “have a state”.

Yes, the reality underneath the flight without a fight in Kirkuk and other places is the deal struck in Dukan. And this deal was signed by both the PUK and the KDP. And, Iraq has targeted official buildings and institutions first, in accordance with this plan. It was a coincidence that they didn’t enter and there haven’t been clashes, for now at least.

Even though this is the reality, how could they explain the situation to the people of the South and of course all of Kurdistan who they tricked and deceived for years, telling them they would have a state? With what methods could the Kurdish people be deceived so this flight plan doesn’t come to light?

That, is the scenario, i.e. the true great play.

How did those so cheerful together in Dukan turn into mortal enemies the next day? KDP deals unspeakable insults to the PUK, before even mourning for Talabani is over. They speak of treason, betrayal, flight, thievery, so many more that one truly feels shamed to speak of. The PUK speaks similarly of the KDP. The traitors, betrayers, thieves, conspirators fly left and right.

If one didn’t know better, one could think that the PUK thinks KDP is to blame for the flight, and the KDP blames the PUK... There is no such thing!

What they do and what they want to do is the KDP to have a scapegoat -the PUK in this case- to solidify their own base. The PUK similarly makes the KDP out to be the scapegoat and solidifies its own base. Leaving the people to their own means, provoking them and thus covering everything up. If this plan succeeds, nobody will be able to find out the true reason behind the flight, nobody will be able to bring anything to light and in that case both the KDP and the PUK will rule in Kurdistan!

This is very similar to the movie franchise the Hunger Games. If I remember correctly, in that story the different societies in regions divided up to 12 and separated are left to fend for themselves, used against each other, and made into enemies who kill each other. And behind this perfectly displayed and planned game, a handful of marauders can continue their reign. And what they pay attention to most is that nobody learns of this situation. If people knew what was happening, if how the societies are turned against each other in the grand scheme, peoples would come together, the enmity would end and as a result those who stage the Hunger Games would be exposed and toppled.

Yes, the play staged in Southern Kurdistan is just this game. But this time, it’s not called the Hunger Games, but the Death Games. And Israel’s Death Game against the Kurds at that.

Speaking of Israel, we ask: Where are those Israeli “friends” of the Kurds, and where are the Kurdish Israel fans?

And we add: Let’s not let any force, anybody to mock our people to this extent, to hurt our people so.