Kurds deserve more respect, writes former US adviser on Iraq
Kurds deserve more respect, writes former US adviser on Iraq
Meghan L. O'Sullivan, professor at Harvard's Kennedy School of Government wrote an article titled "Kurds deserve more respect". In the article O'Sullivan argues that much attention, and rightly so, has been put to the so called Arab Spring, while "few have focused on another development that could help promote moderation in the region: the tentative, but growing, role of the region's Kurdish population".
According to O'Sullivan "policy makers in the United States and Europe need to set aside their traditional way of viewing the world exclusively as a collection of nation-states; recognize the possibilities and risks behind Kurdish empowerment; and craft a strategy to encourage this pro-Western population to gain more influence in the region without provoking a backlash".
Underlining that "the history of the Kurds in the Middle East is a seemingly endless tale of oppression, thwarted ambitions and tragedy", O'Sullivan points out that "for all their historic suffering, a series of developments may now be changing the fortune of the Kurds in fundamental ways. The Kurds in Iraq, who gained effective autonomy after the 1991 Gulf War, have reaped tremendous benefits from Saddam Hussein's fall in 2003 and the subsequent efforts to build a new political system. Kurdish parties now wield significant power in Baghdad, having been a key coalition partner of every government".
Conceding that "other Kurdish gains across the region are more tentative, but have the potential to be equally significant", O'Sullivan points out that "in Turkey, Kurds may be on the cusp of the most promising moment in decades to address their grievances. This month's election brought a solid victory for the ruling pro-Islamist Justice and Development Party, or AKP. Even so, the AKP will need to find parliamentary partners to reach a two-thirds majority necessary to enact the sort of constitutional reforms it seeks".
Admittedly, writes O'Sullivan "rising Kurdish influence also brings the possibility of further complications and even conflict. Kurds of the Middle East may decide to take advantage of the changes in the region to push for a separate state, the Kurdistan that has long been the focal point of so much Kurdish song and poetry. A push in this direction wouldn't be surprising, given the hardships endured by the Kurds and their desire to be free of the vagaries of Baghdad, Damascus and Ankara".
O'Sullivan underlines that "rather than feeding new clamoring for a Kurdish state, an increase in influence may lead the region's Kurds to adopt a “globalization” strategy. This approach would acknowledge the waning importance of state borders around the globe and focus on building strong cultural and economic links — and maybe ultimately institutions — that span political boundaries. Working toward a “virtual” Kurdistan, the Kurds of a transformed Middle East might realize many of their aspirations without incurring the ire of the region's larger powers".
According to O'Sullivan "Western allies should favour this outcome, not simply because it would be good for the Kurds, but because it would be good for their own interests. Kurds, perhaps because of their dark history at the hands of extremists, tend to be moderates. While many are devout Muslims, they are more likely to favour secular government".
It is for all of these reasons that O'Sullivan writes that "President Barack Obama's administration to incorporate a Kurdish angle into its new Middle East strategy".
The full article can be read at
http://www.therecord.com/opinion/columns/article/552919--kurds-deserve-more-respect
According to O'Sullivan "policy makers in the United States and Europe need to set aside their traditional way of viewing the world exclusively as a collection of nation-states; recognize the possibilities and risks behind Kurdish empowerment; and craft a strategy to encourage this pro-Western population to gain more influence in the region without provoking a backlash".
Underlining that "the history of the Kurds in the Middle East is a seemingly endless tale of oppression, thwarted ambitions and tragedy", O'Sullivan points out that "for all their historic suffering, a series of developments may now be changing the fortune of the Kurds in fundamental ways. The Kurds in Iraq, who gained effective autonomy after the 1991 Gulf War, have reaped tremendous benefits from Saddam Hussein's fall in 2003 and the subsequent efforts to build a new political system. Kurdish parties now wield significant power in Baghdad, having been a key coalition partner of every government".
Conceding that "other Kurdish gains across the region are more tentative, but have the potential to be equally significant", O'Sullivan points out that "in Turkey, Kurds may be on the cusp of the most promising moment in decades to address their grievances. This month's election brought a solid victory for the ruling pro-Islamist Justice and Development Party, or AKP. Even so, the AKP will need to find parliamentary partners to reach a two-thirds majority necessary to enact the sort of constitutional reforms it seeks".
Admittedly, writes O'Sullivan "rising Kurdish influence also brings the possibility of further complications and even conflict. Kurds of the Middle East may decide to take advantage of the changes in the region to push for a separate state, the Kurdistan that has long been the focal point of so much Kurdish song and poetry. A push in this direction wouldn't be surprising, given the hardships endured by the Kurds and their desire to be free of the vagaries of Baghdad, Damascus and Ankara".
O'Sullivan underlines that "rather than feeding new clamoring for a Kurdish state, an increase in influence may lead the region's Kurds to adopt a “globalization” strategy. This approach would acknowledge the waning importance of state borders around the globe and focus on building strong cultural and economic links — and maybe ultimately institutions — that span political boundaries. Working toward a “virtual” Kurdistan, the Kurds of a transformed Middle East might realize many of their aspirations without incurring the ire of the region's larger powers".
According to O'Sullivan "Western allies should favour this outcome, not simply because it would be good for the Kurds, but because it would be good for their own interests. Kurds, perhaps because of their dark history at the hands of extremists, tend to be moderates. While many are devout Muslims, they are more likely to favour secular government".
It is for all of these reasons that O'Sullivan writes that "President Barack Obama's administration to incorporate a Kurdish angle into its new Middle East strategy".
The full article can be read at
http://www.therecord.com/opinion/columns/article/552919--kurds-deserve-more-respect
