ISIS on the offensive in Iraq

[Philippus Flavius Homovallumus]

Israel likes the partition idea because Kurdistan would be a secular nation and a natural ally against the more fundamentally islamic non-Kurdish states of the region. They also can't stand the fact that Maliki is so openly backed by Iran.

*And of course in my opinion, since I don't particularly care what Turkey thinks (a luxury Washington doesn't have, I guess), I also think the Partition is the only way to go. At least one halfway decent group will benefit then, at least.

Kurdistan will be an ethnic state - like Israel -it will be good for Kurds and bad for anyone living on "Kurdish" territory.

Although, in two generations time that may have resolved itself.

[Viking]

Kurdistan will be an ethnic state - like Israel -it will be good for Kurds and bad for anyone living on "Kurdish" territory.

Do you have any observations from their current semi-automous region in Iraq or statements from powerful or influential people in the region to back that up with?

[Philippus Flavius Homovallumus]

Do you have any observations from their current semi-automous region in Iraq or statements from powerful or influential people in the region to back that up with?

Comparison to modern Israel may have been a bit harsh, but the first thing the Kurds did in the current crisis was establish control over a city in the border regions after the Iraqi army fled.

Perhaps it would be better to say that a Kurdish state will be for Kurds, which means it will not be for Arabs, though they will probably be tolerated.

[Seamus Fermanagh]

Comparison to modern Israel may have been a bit harsh, but the first thing the Kurds did in the current crisis was establish control over a city in the border regions after the Iraqi army fled.

Perhaps it would be better to say that a Kurdish state will be for Kurds, which means it will not be for Arabs, though they will probably be tolerated.

Can the Caliphate tolerate a Kurdish state that does not acknowledge the supremacy of the caliph?

[Viking]

Comparison to modern Israel may have been a bit harsh, but the first thing the Kurds did in the current crisis was establish control over a city in the border regions after the Iraqi army fled.

Perhaps it would be better to say that a Kurdish state will be for Kurds, which means it will not be for Arabs, though they will probably be tolerated.

Supposedly, the Kurds regard Kirkuk as their real capital city. Some more background information on its seizure:

Kirkuk city, which has a mixed population of Kurds, Arabs and Turkmen, has long been a thorny issue in Iraqi politics.

Its special status as a disputed city was recognised in the post-Saddam Hussein Iraqi constitution, which called for the situation in the city to be "normalised" by:

• The return to the south of Arabs settled there by the deposed ruler
• The restoration of expelled Kurds
• A census
• A referendum on whether the province should join the Kurdistan autonomous region.

But that has never happened, and Kirkuk, as well as other disputed areas along the Arab-Kurdish ethnic fault line, have been flashpoints for friction between Kurdish forces and Iraqi government troops.

Now, the latter have melted away, leaving Kirkuk to fall into the hands of the Kurds like a ripe fruit.

[Sarmatian]

Kurdistan would definitely solve a lot of problems in the area, but getting there would probably cause more.

Turkey will never go along with it.

[Philippus Flavius Homovallumus]

Can the Caliphate tolerate a Kurdish state that does not acknowledge the supremacy of the caliph?

In a word?

No - it's like asking the medieval Pope to tolerate heretics.

It's unlikely this new Caliph will last all that long, anyway.

Who is he anyway?

Supposedly, the Kurds regard Kirkuk as their real capital city. Some more background information on its seizure:

Yes, I read that article.

If Kurdistan becomes a reality there will be future wars with whatever emerges from the rest of Iraq. At current showing the Kurds are more likely to come out on top of that

[Kadagar_AV]

Does it really matter if they get a caliphate?

A few days later they would just war over who should be caliph. Once that is settled, they would war over who should replace him.

Silly middle east.

[Kadagar_AV]

Getting a "like" from GC is like a participation medal...