Brian4Liberty
06-24-2014, 12:52 PM
Independent Kurdistan looking more and more likely, and sooner than expected.
The other startling revelation here: The Kurds warned about the pending ISIS invasion a few months ago. How big of a surprise is all of this really?
EXCLUSIVE: Iraqi Kurdistan leader Massoud Barzani says 'the time is here' for self-determination
By Mick Krever, CNN
Iraqi Kurdish President Massoud Barzani gave his strongest-ever indication on Monday that his region would seek formal independence from the rest of Iraq.
“Iraq is obviously falling apart,” he told CNN's Christiane Amanpour in an exclusive interview. “And it’s obvious that the federal or central government has lost control over everything. Everything is collapsing – the army, the troops, the police.”
“We did not cause the collapse of Iraq. It is others who did. And we cannot remain hostages for the unknown,” he said through an interpreter.
“The time is here for the Kurdistan people to determine their future and the decision of the people is what we are going to uphold.”
Iraqi Kurdish independence has long been a goal, and the region has had autonomy from Baghdad for more than two decades, but they have never before said they would actually pursue that dream.
...
Iraqi Kurdistan has long had a fractious relationship with Baghdad; the region has had autonomy from the rest of Iraq for more than two decades.
Kurdistan even has its own military forces, the Peshmerga, which are now busy fighting ISIS extremists; next to the Iraqi military, which has looked awkward and unprofessional defending the country, the Peshmerga seems remarkably skilled.
Amanpour asked Barzani whether Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki had asked for Kurdish military support.
“The prime minister has not asked us. On the contrary, he rejected every offer to assist.”
Indeed, Barzani said, he warned al-Maliki about the impending ISIS threat long before they toppled the major Iraqi city of Mosul, near the Iraqi Kurdish border.
“I did warn Mr. Prime Minister not only a couple of days, but a few months before the fall of Mosul. I did warn him but he did not take the warning seriously. And I have many witnesses to that effect that I did warn him.”
...
“The United States has been a true friend and we Kurds have shown that we deserve that friendship.”
“The success of the region of Kurdistan was the only success that resulted from American policies.”
...
In defending Iraqi Kurdistan from ISIS, Barzani may also have seized on an opportunity. The Peshmerga have recently taken control of Kirkuk, an oil-rich region that the Kurds consider to be an integral part of their territory.
“We never had any doubt at any time that Kirkuk is part of Kurdistan,” he said.
The Iraqi constitution sets out a very specific process whereby the future of Kirkuk – whether in Kurdistan or the rest of the country – should be determined, involving a census of the area and then a referendum.
“For the last ten years, we have been waiting to have that article applied, but we haven’t seen any seriousness from the central government. And since we have new developments in Iraq now, this is what brought about the new situation with Kirkuk coming back to Kurdistan.”
...
http://amanpour.blogs.cnn.com/2014/06/23/exclusive-iraqi-kurdish-leader-says-the-time-is-here-for-self-determination/
The other startling revelation here: The Kurds warned about the pending ISIS invasion a few months ago. How big of a surprise is all of this really?
EXCLUSIVE: Iraqi Kurdistan leader Massoud Barzani says 'the time is here' for self-determination
By Mick Krever, CNN
Iraqi Kurdish President Massoud Barzani gave his strongest-ever indication on Monday that his region would seek formal independence from the rest of Iraq.
“Iraq is obviously falling apart,” he told CNN's Christiane Amanpour in an exclusive interview. “And it’s obvious that the federal or central government has lost control over everything. Everything is collapsing – the army, the troops, the police.”
“We did not cause the collapse of Iraq. It is others who did. And we cannot remain hostages for the unknown,” he said through an interpreter.
“The time is here for the Kurdistan people to determine their future and the decision of the people is what we are going to uphold.”
Iraqi Kurdish independence has long been a goal, and the region has had autonomy from Baghdad for more than two decades, but they have never before said they would actually pursue that dream.
...
Iraqi Kurdistan has long had a fractious relationship with Baghdad; the region has had autonomy from the rest of Iraq for more than two decades.
Kurdistan even has its own military forces, the Peshmerga, which are now busy fighting ISIS extremists; next to the Iraqi military, which has looked awkward and unprofessional defending the country, the Peshmerga seems remarkably skilled.
Amanpour asked Barzani whether Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki had asked for Kurdish military support.
“The prime minister has not asked us. On the contrary, he rejected every offer to assist.”
Indeed, Barzani said, he warned al-Maliki about the impending ISIS threat long before they toppled the major Iraqi city of Mosul, near the Iraqi Kurdish border.
“I did warn Mr. Prime Minister not only a couple of days, but a few months before the fall of Mosul. I did warn him but he did not take the warning seriously. And I have many witnesses to that effect that I did warn him.”
...
“The United States has been a true friend and we Kurds have shown that we deserve that friendship.”
“The success of the region of Kurdistan was the only success that resulted from American policies.”
...
In defending Iraqi Kurdistan from ISIS, Barzani may also have seized on an opportunity. The Peshmerga have recently taken control of Kirkuk, an oil-rich region that the Kurds consider to be an integral part of their territory.
“We never had any doubt at any time that Kirkuk is part of Kurdistan,” he said.
The Iraqi constitution sets out a very specific process whereby the future of Kirkuk – whether in Kurdistan or the rest of the country – should be determined, involving a census of the area and then a referendum.
“For the last ten years, we have been waiting to have that article applied, but we haven’t seen any seriousness from the central government. And since we have new developments in Iraq now, this is what brought about the new situation with Kirkuk coming back to Kurdistan.”
...
http://amanpour.blogs.cnn.com/2014/06/23/exclusive-iraqi-kurdish-leader-says-the-time-is-here-for-self-determination/