MASOUD BARZANI IN CHECK…MATE!
The grave
behavior and attitude of the Kurds, that can be observed a
lot in their history, have caused that they have become
subject to numerous discomfiture, disappointments,
deceptions, and disasters. The Kurds took part in World War
I although it was not for their interest and consequently
they had lost many lives and goods. The Kurds have always
relied on big states and have allowed these states to
exploit their cause as a trump card in their disputes.
Whenever the game is over, this trump card becomes valueless
and the Kurds remain without gain. Because of this
situation, the Kurds have become slang literature. In
colloquial Egyptian language, when someone is being
deceived, they use the expression “istikrat or don’t Kurd
and don’t act Kurdish”. Other widespread slang expressions
are “Do you think I am a Kurd?” or “I Kurded him”.
The Kurds,
who have always lived in this way, have believed in everyone
who have promised them the establishment of the state of
“Kurdistan” that they are dreaming of by developing wrong
calculations. However, it is impossible to realize such a
dream under the prevailing international conditions. Because
geography has unforgivingly located them on a closed
territory that has no center and that has been surrounded by
five powerful states being Turkey, Iran, Iraq, Syria and
Armenia. None of these states shall ever PERMIT any piece of
their territory to be taken so that Kurdistan can be
established.
In spite of
this, considering the fact that this areas where they live
located in these five countries are geographically connected
to each other, the Kurds are dreaming and hoping of uniting
these areas one day and live together under a state
structure. However, this is far from being possible. During
the Kurds’ history of 4000 years, this could never happen
except once. And this one time only lasted for 11 months.
This happened on 22 January 1946 on Iranian territory where
one third of the Kurds were living. The Autonomous
Democratic Republic of Kurdistan was established in the city
of Mahabad. This was later called Mahabat Republic. However
upon the agreement that was reached between the Iranian Shah
and Stalin, this republic was passed over by the Iranian
forces on 17 December 1946. The President and his comrades
were hanged on Charchira Square where the republic was
declared. In this way, the curtains of the sole republic in
the history of the Kurds had lowered. As a matter of fact
the Kurds are brave and courageous people like the warriors
of the Middle Ages but they are divided like the
Palestinians. In Palestine, there are two main groups called
Al Fatih and Hamas and some small fractions. Similarly the
Kurds are divided into the KDP and the PUK and some small
parties. The Palestinians have become heroes in fighting
with each other which has pleased the Israelis. The Kurds
have similarly shown the same heroism by fighting with each
other and leave it to their enemy to enjoy watching them.
For both, the reason of civil war is the same. That is the
struggle to gain the authority over money and politics by
becoming superior to the other after the elections. In both,
the reason for calming down in the conflict is the same. A
foreign element has honeyed both sides. Saudi Arabia has
financially supported the Palestinians, whereas the US has
done the same to the Kurds and the conflict was postponed.
The reason for dwelling on this subject is the fact that the
Kurds have started again their miscalculations following the
overthrow of President Saddam. In the time that has passed,
the Kurds have just understood how wrong their calculations
were. Because the Turkish forces had carried out operations
in the Kurdish regions to pursue the PKK elements and they
have now massively relocated their forces to the Northern
Iraqi borders threatening with a new operation.
The story
here is that with the overthrow of Saddam, the Kurds
calculated that they could establish an independent state,
the capital of which would be Erbil. They thought that by
recognizing Israel and showing that they were ready to
establish diplomatic relations with Israel, they would
receive support from the USA with which they already had
strong relations. However, the regional situation shall
never allow the establishment of such a state. Because such
a state shall revive subversive tendencies among the Kurds
living in Turkey, Iran and Syria. This in turn shall
constitute a serious threat to the national security of
these countries. Therefore, the USA could not proceed in
this direction. Consequently, the Kurds choose for expanding
their autonomy they had obtained since the overthrow of
Saddam. Everything is ready for this by now. They have an
independent parliament, military force and judiciary. They
receive 13 % of the revenues coming from food for oil
program. Moreover, the USA has been very generous to provide
that they receive a greater share of the leadership and the
state revenues. Obviously, the Iraqi President and the
Minister of Foreign Affairs is Kurdish and Kurdish has
become the second official language apart from Arabic.
However,
Masoud Barzani has greater goals. He wants to become
president and talk with the other presidents by phone and be
received by other countries on the red carpet with the
national anthem. Therefore he displays dangerous behavior
and attitudes the result of which cannot be predicted. He
had the Iraqi flag lowered at the official institutions in
the Kurdish regions, but when he received strong reactions
he takes a step back and denies it.
Barzani
endeavors to annex to the Kurdistan region Kirkuk which is
floating on a lake of oil and the faith of which shall be
determined by a referendum on an unspecified date. For this
purpose, he has brought many Kurds to this city the majority
of which consists of Turcomans. However, Turkey is aware
about Barzani’s plans and made warnings not to change the
demographic structure of the city and not to violate the
rights of the Turcomans. In reaction to this, Barzani warned
Turkey saying that “If Turkey intervenes to Kirkuk, we will
intervene to Diyarbakir and the other Turkish cities”. He
received the response to this with the answer given by
Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan saying that: “They
should not say things the responsibility of which they are
not able to assume. They should know how far they can go.
Otherwise they shall be smashed. Barzani has gone too far.
He shall heavily pay for this”. Subsequently Turkish Army
Commander Yasar Buyukanit stated that it was militarily
necessary to carry out an operation to eradicate the
subversive Kurds based in Northern Iraq and emphasized that
for such a step the Turkish Government has to take a
political decision. However, while Buyukant
was waiting for such a decision to be taken, he deployed 50
tanks to Habour which is the border gate to Iraq. Hereupon,
Barzani took back his words and took shelter in Iraq from
which it actually wanted to separate. Barzani, who had
forgotten about Arabic, made a turn to Arabic and said: “We
do not threaten anybody. We do not accept to be threatened
by anybody. Kirkuk is an Iraqi city. Intervening to Kirkuk
means to intervene to the internal affairs of Iraq.” With
these words, which he spoke in Arabic, he hopes to receive
any support from Arabic and took shelter in Iraq after the
USA and Israel left him alone and disgraced him just as it
has happened to his father Mustafa Barzani. (Egypt – El
Sayed Hany – Al Cumhuriyyah Daily / 18.04.2007)
