Thursday, June 2, 2016
GDBB 3 - The Future of Kurdistan
Use one of the current events sources linked at http://svhs-hwc-fall2016.blogspot.com/2016/06/approved-sources-for-hwc-current-events.html to find at least 2 recent news article that relate to, support, or refute Krajeski's positions on the Kurds and Kurdistan. Your comment should include the titles of and links to the news article. Then, briefly summarize these articles with an explanation of how these sources relate to the arguments presented in the briefing book. Don't forget to check your rubric for evaluation criteria!
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In the first article, Kurdistan is described as the opposite of Iraq despite being the same country. Iraq is consistently classified a nation that is not peaceful but, in fact, also in Iraq is a region known as Kurdistan which is known for being tranquil. However, the peace of Kurdistan is currently daunted by the Islamic State nearing their towns. Although Kurdistan is not a top priority, the U.S. hopes to repair their alliance with Kurdistan by aiding them in the ISIS attack and hopefully gaining some Kurdistan enlistments. Despite the Kurds fighting for their independence, the U.S. is greatly opposed to Kurdistan becoming its own country due to the repercussions in Iraq. All things considered, Kurdistan’s relationship with the U.S. struggles with the impending independence. (“Kurdistan Commanders Fight To Protect Iraq, But Hope For Independence” http://www.npr.org/2014/09/25/351452577/kurdistan-commanders-fight-to-protect-iraq-but-hope-for-independence)
ReplyDeleteThe second article describes the thoughts of a Kurd on the issue of the independence of Kurdistan. First of all, Kurdistan wishes to gain their independence from Iraq due to the current conditions of unequal distribution of power, lack of democracy, and lack of tolerance for other cultures. Over the past 10 years Kurds have tried to introduce democracy into Iraq but have failed, now they simply want their own nation with democracy. However, with the Iraqi Kurds striving for their independence many nations fear that with their independence, Kurds in other areas of the world will try to fight peacefully for their too; leaving a significantly divided nation. Overall, Kurdistan independence would be beneficial to the Kurds. (“If Map Of Middle East Is Being Redrawn, What Lies Ahead For Kurds?” http://www.npr.org/2014/07/03/328209567/if-map-of-middle-east-is-being-redrawn-what-lies-ahead-for-kurds)
All of the articles resemble the arguments presented in Jenna Krajeski’s “The future of Kurdistan.” The two articles as well as “The future of Kurdistan” describe the longing of independence faced by all Kurds throughout the Middle East. Although independence is not supported by all, the Kurds continue to strive for it in order to live with the freedom of democracy and culture. In addition, the U.S. is trying to gain the trust of Kurdistan. Although they have been alliances for years, the U.S. tends to choose to support other countries over Kurdistan; harming the already unstable relationship. In essence, Kurdistan seeks its independence from Iraq through alliances and peaceful resolutions.
The idea of the first article is to identify what separates Kurdish people from other Middle Eastern nationalities. Kurds are one of the largest ethnic groups in the Middle East and have fought to secure a culturally consistent state of their own. Despite their efforts they have not been able to create their own nation and are currently residing on the borders on Turkey, Iraq, Syria, Iran, and Armenia. The closest Kurds have come to creating a country was in 1920 when the Treaty of Sevres was formed, however within three years the treaty was replaced by the Treaty of Lausanne, which did not provide Kurds with any hope of their own nation. Between the 1920’s and the summer of 2014 the Kurds did not come any closer to forming a new country. In June 2014 when the Islamic State took over the city of Mosul the Kurdish army took over the fight in areas that the Iraqi army had given up on. The Peshmerga fought with IS until August 2014 when they too abandoned the towns IS had captured. Since there was no longer an army fighting attacks against Yazidis became more common. The influx of attacks caused the United States to intervene by launching airstrikes into northern Iraq and sending American military leaders to help the Peshmerga and the Kurds were able to regain control of Kobane by January 2015. The Kurds still face the challenge of working with Turkey to receive their own nation. Turkey has been against the Kurds since the 1920’s and has even blamed them for terror attacks. Kurdish people in Turkey, Syria, and Iraq have been treated inhumanly and forced to assimilate for decades. Life in Iraq for Kurds is far less violent than it is in other countries, and in 1991 Kurds were given an area of Iraq that they could control. More recently, Massoud Barzani who is the president of Kurdistan called for a referendum allowing Kurdish leaders to form a democratic government. Overall, this article discusses the treatment of Kurds across the Middle East and exposes the atrocious conditions they are forced to live in. (“Who are the Kurds?” http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-29702440)
ReplyDeleteThe objective of this article is to explain the life of Kurds in Iraq. Kurds live across at least 4 countries in the Middle East, however they are most successful in Iraq. Iraq is the only country that has allowed the Kurds to create their own system of government. Massoud Barzani became the president of Iraqi Kurdistan in 2005 and in July of 2014 announced his plan to make Kurdistan an independent nation. Other countries that currently hold Kurds became worried that the possibility for their independence in Iraq would push other communities of Kurds could attempt independence. The question of sovereignty quickly disappeared when the Islamic State became a serious problem and all resources were used to fight the IS. The Kurdish government in Iraq became real in 1991 after the US marked a no-fly zone in the northern part of Iraq. The Kurdish government grew stronger over the years and was able to establish a democratic society. In the end, the Kurds in Iraq have slowly gained rights and capability to run their own country. (“Iraqi Kurdistan profile” http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-28147263)
The first article connects to “The future of Kurdistan” by giving background information about the Kurds and explaining why they have an uncertain future in the Middle East. The second article expresses the importance of allowing Kurdish people to have an independent government and granting them their own land.
Excellent summary of your first source. Its not a news article but it provides very useful background information.
DeleteIraqi Kurdistan Profile
ReplyDeletehttp://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-28147263
The first article starts out by talking about the Kurds call for a referendum. It then goes on to say that after a change in Iraqi government the independence referendum was postponed. The Kurds originally worked to gain independence from Britain and Iraq, but were violently oppressed until the US declared a no fly zone over the Kurds. The Kurds used this time to build themselves up and create a government. They, however, are surrounded by countries that are against them getting independence and have had problems with Iraqi government claiming their territories. Not only are external forces working against them, but also the two political parties of Kurdistan are at odds with each other.
Will 2016 Be the Year Iraq’s Kurds Break Free?
http://america.aljazeera.com/articles/2016/1/15/will-2016-be-the-year-iraqs-kurds-break-free.html
The second article looks forward to what the Kurds hope will happen in 2016. They have proven themselves major allies to the West in the fight against ISIL and ISIS. They believe that through this fight they could gain their independence. The reason for their hope for one is that the US is beginning to see how difficult it will be to uphold their support of Baghdad. Kurds hope the US will stop opposing the fall of the Iraqi government seeing how dysfunctional it has become. They also have confidence in a bill that has gone to the House about directly arming the Kurds. They have much to be confident about, but they also have some things that could be a problem for them. Kurdistan recently had an economic slowdown because oil prices dropped. Though they have begun exporting oil to Turkey against the law to make some money to support their fighting. The Kurds have also had some internal rifts between its people that could make it difficult to unite to stop ISIL or ISIS.
The first article supports and expands upon the information provided by Jenna Krajeski. The information in the article goes on to say how the Kurds in Iraq had almost called for an independence referendum and how they had prospered in the no fly zone. Overall the article backs what Krajeski already stated in her story. The second article covered the different factors that would affect Kurdistan in its quest for independence and its fight against ISIL and ISIS. The article covered more in depth the economic struggle of Kurdistan as well as stated the things they should find confidence in. One being the bill that has gone to the House about the US directly arming the Kurds. Both articles support Krajeski’s statements in “The Future of Kurdistan” and provide further information on the subject.
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ReplyDeleteThe first article discusses the relationship between Turkey and the Kurds, after the failed Turkish coup on July 15, 2016. The article discusses how President Erdogan invited each political party but the HDP (Pro-Kurds) leader to come join him in uniting Turkey, after the coup against the government. On July 15, many Kurds and Turkish citizens assisted the government in stopping the coup, yet Erdogan will not invite the Kurds to assist in peace discussions. Erdogan is not a supporter of the HDP and has even declared some members of the party to be PKK (a Kurdish terrorist group) members. Conflict between Kurdish and Turkish forces stopped after the coup, however in late July the Turkish forces killed 35 PKK members. The relationship between the Turkish government and the Kurds has not been improving since the coup. (“How Could Failed Coup Affect Kurdish Peace Process? http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2016/08/failed-coup-impact-kurdish-peace-process-160806051709935.html)
ReplyDeleteThe second article discusses fighting between Turkey and the PKK. The PKK is the Kurdistan Workers Party, a terrorist group that has made its presence known in Turkey and surrounding nations. In late July, 35 PKK members were killed when they attacked a Turkish military base in Hakkari. Before they were killed they fought Turkish forces in the streets of Hakkari. Turkey also killed 20 PKK members in Iraq, earlier in July. In 2015, the PKK ended two and a half years of peace between the government and the PKK, and they began attacking Turkey once again. The Turkish forces continue to attack PKK groups in both Turkey and Iraq, and tensions continue to rise between the PKK and the Turkish government. (“Turkey: PKK fighters killed in attempt to storm base” http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2016/07/turkey-pkk-fighters-killed-attempt-storm-base-160730082403245.html)
In “The Future of Kurdistan” by Jenna Krajeski, Krajeski mentions how, since late 2015, tensions between Turkey and its Kurds have been increasing. The first article supports Krajeski’s point because since the coup against the Turkey government, the government has not reached out to the Kurdistan political party. The second article also supports Krajeski’s idea because in July, there were multiple attacks that resulted in the deaths of PKK members by the Turkish forces. As the PKK continues to cause issues for Turkey, the problem between the Kurds and Turkey continues to grow.
Very interesting! We'll be delving into this issue as we move into unit 3.
DeleteKurds around the Middle East have been looking for anyway to gain their independence and form a stable country, and in recent years, civil wars and tension between the kurds and other countries has prevented them from having this independence. In the first article, it talks about who the kurds really are. It explains first that they are in fact at the forefront of the fight against IS and that they are determined to defeat them to show that they can lead their own country. The article goes on to explain the relationships between the Kurds and other countries, most notably Turkey. The article states that between the 1920s and 1930s, the Turkish authorities were very harsh to the Kurds, even going as far as banning their language, which shows the relationship between them. It also explains how they have worked with the U.S to defeat the likes of Saddam Hussein.
ReplyDelete"Who are the Kurds?"
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-29702440
In the second article, it further explains why the Kurds are at the forefront of the war against IS. In recent years, they haven't been quite successful in breaking free from the central government and forming a nation of their own, and they believe that because of their success against IS, their independence from the central government might be near. Most kurdish leaders are very confident in their independence, an example showing Masoud Bargain, president of the KRG, saying that "independence is certainly coming."
"Will 2016 be the year Iraq’s Kurds break free?"
http://america.aljazeera.com/articles/2016/1/15/will-2016-be-the-year-iraqs-kurds-break-free.html
I picked these two articles because they both relate to and support the information that was given to us by Jenna Krajeski. In the first article, the information in it about where the kurds come from, who they have good relationships with, why they are fighting IS and what they want all match what Krajeski said, and full support her analysis. In the second article, the case is the same. The main topic in the second article is the exploration of who the kurds see as their allies and what it means for their future, which is all the same as what Krajeski said in her summary of the future of the Kurds.
The first article discusses the Kurdish Civil War. The Civil War occurred in May of 1994 to November 1997. The war was between the PUK (Patriotic Union of Kurdistan) and the KDP(Kurdistan Democratic Party). The war originally began when the Iraqis were forced out of Kurdistan. The two parties organized a peace treaty with the Iraqis. There were also elections to see who would run the country and the election was split between the two parties. The country was split in half and each party would lead one half. There were several disputes that followed after this. The U.S. helped the two parties work out a peace treaty.
ReplyDeleteThe second article discusses how oil workers were evacuated from a oil rig. The oil rig was evacuated because it was threatened by ISIS. Chevron and Exxon that are under American control are some of the companies being evacuated. A company that is under Kurdistan control is not being evacuated and is continuing as normal.
The first and second article agree with Krajeski because she states that Kurdistan is at risk of being attacked by ISIS. She also speaks of the Civil War and what happened. The first article is about the civil war why it had occurred. The second article is about how most of Kurdistan is at risk of ISIS.
Citation: First article("Foreign oil workers evacuated from Kurdistan as Islamic State advances" http://america.aljazeera.com/articles/2014/8/8/kurds-iraq-oil.html)
DeleteSecond article("Profile: Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK)" http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/not_in_website/syndication/monitoring/media_reports/2588601.stm)
This article explains that Kurdistan will finally become their own country. After continually fighting Isis, the Kurds proved that they are being successful in fighting the terrorist group. This article believes that after continually fighting Isis the territory will possibly become an independant country. In addition, many believe that the United States should continue to help arm the Kurds and provide aid because the Kurds are among one of the United States’s strong allies. Because of this, the author of this article believes that the United States will grant the Kurd’s wish of becoming an independent country. (“Will 2016 be the year Iraq’s Kurds break free?” http://america.aljazeera.com/articles/2016/1/15/will-2016-be-the-year-iraqs-kurds-break-free.html )
ReplyDeleteThis article elaborates more on the alliance between the United States and Kurdistan. The Obama Administration sent weapons to the Kurds to aid them in their fight with the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria. Their alliance has grown due to ISIS’s power growing as well. The hope is that ISIS will lose their power due to the amount of help the Kurds are receiving from them (“US sending arms to Kurds amid Iraq political crisis” http://america.aljazeera.com/articles/2014/8/11/us-arming-kurds.html )
These two articles elaborate more about the Kurds and their alliance with the United States and their future aspirations to become an independent country. They are able to help hold off ISIS in some parts of the Middle east with the help of the United States as their allies. Because of this, they hope to become their own country and start to govern themselves individually.
In the first article, the German military began resuming deliveries of weapons to Kurdistan. This was after the government promised that the weapons would not end up on the black market. Germany had stopped delivering weapons to Kurdistan to help them fight against ISIS after the arms had been offered for sale on the black market.Kurdish authorities arrested many people after hearing about the weapons being sold illegally. Officials signed a declaration that the weapons would not be sold again after being received. Germany's lower house of parliament agreed to send more German soldiers to train with Kurdish troops. Kurdistan is fighting hard, and trying to maintain their ground. ("Germany Resumes Weapons Deliveries to Kurds in North Iraq" http://www.nytimes.com/reuters/2016/08/17/world/middleeast/17reuters-mideast-crisis-iraq-germany.html?_r=0)
ReplyDeleteIn the second article, the Kurds are fighting hard against ISIS. Although, they are crossing state lines into Turkey, and Turkey does not like this. Turkey demanded for them to go back because they are scared that the Kurds might expand into Turkey. Very few of the kurds have citizenship, but they are trying very hard to expand their country. With the help of their U.S. alliance, the Kurds are fighting ISIS. Kurdistan has recently gained many alliances with other countries, that are willing to help them. Kurdistan has a struggling relationship with Turkey and Syria. Kurdistan is trying to put an end to the Syrian War, and they sent many troops there very recently. The Kurds are increasingly trying to put an end to war, and obtain more needed resources. ("Syria’s Kurds: An embattled US ally in a complex civil war" https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/middle_east/syrias-kurds-an-embattled-us-ally-in-a-complex-civil-war/2016/08/25/534436ce-6a98-11e6-91cb-ecb5418830e9_story.html)
Both of these articles agree with Jenna Krajeski's article demonstrating Kurdistan's power. Kurdistan is a small, weak territory, but it has many allies. The first article shows that there are difficulties, but the Kurds are doing mostly what's best. The second article demonstrates what is currently happening with Kurdistan, and the wars and fights that they have to go through, even with allies such as Turkey. Kurdistan is a small and mighty area, with many allies and wars to help gain more rights.
The first article that I looked at, from The Guardian, looks at an instance of the clearly growing divide between Turkey and Kurdistan. The Kurds have been looking to prove themselves against ISIS, but the Turkish, who have other things like Gulen that they believe they need to worry about, do not wish for the Kurds to become involved, and have warned the Kurds, who recently captured a key ISIS border town, not to continue pushing in. Turkey is prepared to use military force to prevent them from doing so. The U.S. have also warned the Kurds not to push their forces deeper into Syria ("Turkey tells Kurds in northern Syria to withdraw or face action" https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/aug/25/turkey-syria-islamic-state-kurds).
ReplyDeleteThe second article looks at the U.S.'s warning to the Kurds not to look for room along the Turkish-Syrian border. The U.S. and Turkish are worried that the Kurds will be looking for the immediate establishment of their own state, which would take a chunk out of the Turkish/Syrian border to compensate for the Kurdish population living in Turkey. The U.S. told the Kurds not to expect U.S. support if they do not fulfill their promise to return to the east. Despite some positive U.S. relations with Kurdistan in dealing with ISIS, tensions are still uneasy and it is doubtful that the U.S. would hesitate to cut off their support. ("Biden warns Kurds not to seek separate enclave on Turkish-Syrian border" https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/biden-visits-turkey-on-mission-to-repair-strained-relations/2016/08/24/bc684904-6a04-11e6-99bf-f0cf3a6449a6_story.html).
Krajeski's points definitely align with some of the ideas brought up in these articles. For article one, the controversy between the Turkish and Kurds is highlighted. There is reason for Turkey to be angry at the Kurds, especially with the havoc that the PKK have done in eastern Turkey, but the question is whether or not Turkey has the right to stop the Kurds from dealing with ISIS. Article two highlights that, despite the seemingly positive relations between the U.S. and Kurdistan, the Kurds have been known to overstep their boundaries by a little, and the U.S. will not be able to tolerate an ally whom they cannot trust, a point brought up by Krajeski later in "The Future of Kurdistan".
The first article explains the development of the Kurds and what they are aiming towards. Most of the Kurds in Iraq and Syria would like the chance to become their own state and they have tried to become their own state for an extremely long time. The Kurds’ attempts at statehood have failed due to their minority status in the countries that they currently live in. For example: the Kurds living in Syria have been denied their citizenship for over 50 years and their land has been taken away from them. The Kurds in Iraq have more rights than the Kurds in Syria, yet it is still unlikely that they will gain independence any time soon. ("Who Are the Kurds?" BBC News, BBC, 14 Mar. 2016, www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-29702440.)
ReplyDeleteThe second article claims that if the Iraq Kurds continue to seize more territory as the rest of the Iraqi cities and people are worried about ISIS, they might be able to gain the independence that they feel they deserve. The Kurds were one of the first to establish an ethnically diverse status and they have their own unique traditions, language, and heritage from other surrounding countries. (Asher-Schapiro, Avi. "The Kurds May Seize the Moment to Break Free of Iraq." National Geographic, 30 June 2014, news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2014/06/140628-iraq-kurds-independence-kurdistan-sunni-baghdad/.)
Both of these articles explain why and how the Kurds from Iraq and Syria are attempting to become their own state. In the article that Jenna Krajeski wrote in Great Decisions Briefing Book, she also describes the strides that the Kurds have taken to gain statehood and she describes the various setbacks Kurdistan has had in doing so.
The first article by The Washington Post is about Kurdish and Turkey relations. As ISIS continues to take over towns in Syria, Kurdish and Turkey forces, both backed by the U.S., continue to fight off ISIS. The Kurds are taking back towns in Syria, but Turkey is fighting the Kurds for those towns. This relates to the Great Decisions article because they both discuss Kurdish ambition for development and land.
ReplyDeleteThe second article for The New York Times is also about Kurdish development in the Middle East thanks to ISIS. The Syrian government signed a cease fire after Kurdish fighters took control of a northeast Syrian provence. Kurdish development is a main theme in article two and the Great Decisions articles.
Article One Title: How Turkey’s offensive into Syria is opening up a hornet’s nest
Article One Link: https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/middle_east/how-turkeys-offensive-into-syria-is-opening-up-a-hornets-nest/2016/08/27/c1edd776-6bb8-11e6-91cb-ecb5418830e9_story.html
Article Two Title: Kurds Close to Control of Northeast Syria Province, Portending a Shift in the War
Article Two Link: http://www.nytimes.com/2016/08/24/world/middleeast/hasaka-syria-kurds-turkey.html
Expand on the article summaries and explicitly explain how this relates to the reading.
Delete