Kurds and the US

There are problems with the Kurdish opposition.

First off, the Turks fear that the Kurds have an irridentist impluse, and may try to follow up an indpendent Iraqi Kurdistan with an invasion of Turkish Kurdistan.

I think that may be a solvable problem.

But the Kurds are very split, and the Kurdish groups spend almost as much time fighting each other as fighting the Iraqis.

The Kurdish groups also are very personalist -- meaning that they tend to follow a leader and not an ideology or a belief. But that ALSO is solveable.

The biggest problem is that thanks to our past actions, the Kurds really do not trust us. In 1991, we promised to back a rebellion against Hussein, and then we sat by and did little while the Kurds and Marsh Arabs got slaughtered.

In 1996, a CIA agent claims that he got the Kurds, INC and the Free Officers to combine various plans to overthrow Hussein. In the end, our government refused to help, one of the Kurdish groups went on the attack anyway. After initial success the attack pettered out from lack of corrdination and support.

The CIA agent for his trouble was accused of trying to kill Hussein and faced a federal first degree murder charge (it was realized that the charge was rediculous and none was ever filed).

The Kurds have basically got what they want, without our help. In the north, there is a semi-independent Kurdish state and no Iraqi interference. Their view is why should they help us.

And frankly, much as I think the planet will be a better place without Hussein and the Baath party, I do not blame the Kurds.