American strategy: Adopt the Kurds

by YankeeJim | October 16, 2010 at 05:16 am

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I am unconvinced that America has the capacity for Nation Building though it does for Peace Building. Pick an easier subject of focus like the Kurds. They are strategically located to be an excellent ally in the region. Be careful not to play too heavy a hand, however.

Give the Kurds too much support and they will be annexing Turkey, for instance.

“Iraq's Kurds set to be kingmakers again

By Leila Fadel

Washington Post Foreign Service
Saturday, October 16, 2010; 2:45 AM

BAGHDAD - Iraq's Kurds have once again emerged as kingmakers in this nation's complex political game, as incumbent Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki strives to get the support of a majority of the country's lawmakers to stay in power.

For the moment, the Kurds appear to be leaning toward backing Maliki, a Shiite. But they have yet to endorse him publicly and are also negotiating with his rivals, trying to leverage their power in parliament to win key government positions and promises that would resolve Kurdish and Arab land disputes in the north.

The Kurds have long been a strong U.S. ally in Iraq, and U.S. officials, who have a good deal of influence over the sizable ethnic minority, are hopeful that Kurds will use their political heft to force a broader, more inclusive government between the country's largest political blocs. U.S. officials worry that if Iraq forms a government that is not seen as representative of its ethnic and religious mix, that will eat away at security gains and hurt their future dealings in the country.”