Kirkuk bombings
The much publicized withdrawal of U.S. troops independently controlling major cities in Iraq was met by a major blast in the city of Kirkuk in the north of the country. Ten days ago there was another huge bombing in Taza, just outside of Kirkuk. Is a new more active front of the Iraq war beginning as Americans pull back.
During much of the last six years of war and internal turmoil the northern area of Iraq that is a multi-ethnic mix of Kurds, Turkmen, and Arabs has been at times almost a semi-autonomous regions. It has stood apart from much of the Sunni and Shiite rivalry and the attention of outside insurgents. The most powerful group in this area is the Kurds, an Indo-European ethnic group that for centuries has worked for and fought to establish an independent territory in an area that covers parts of Turkey and Iran as well as Iraq. In some ways the U.S. invasion and occupation diverted attention elsewhere to some extent and after years of attacks, forced relocations, discrimination, and even poison gas attacks under Saddam Hussein, the Kurds were given some measure of self-rule as well as a mandated participation in the U.S. dominated Iraqi government. They as well were given roles in the management of the massive oil fields near Kirkuk, damaged and underutilized but still with huge potential. This may all now change and these bombings are a terrible sign.
Under the Sunni governments the Kurds were targeted for persecution. Shiite Iran has centuries old enmity toward the Kurds, and now Shiite Iraqis, a majority no longer dominated by the Sunnis, can begin to exercise their historic biases that are shared with Iran. Turkey has long fought border wars with Kurds, and Kurdish guerilla groups and civilians are a constant and despised presence on their borders. The fact that Kurdish areas have benefitted to some extent in recent years and have become more organized as a political force in northern Iraq has few supporters. In fact it is likely seen as threatening to all that surround them. This could be ugly.
The two bombings in the Kirkuk area over the past two weeks represent almost half of the deaths during the recent upsurge in terrorist attacks in Iraq that have seemingly in anticipation of this U.S. first step back. In the chaotic atmosphere of Iraq this may have little meaning, one could hope so, but one could also have reason to expect that this is the beginning of another dark time for the Kurdish population of northern Iraq.
During much of the last six years of war and internal turmoil the northern area of Iraq that is a multi-ethnic mix of Kurds, Turkmen, and Arabs has been at times almost a semi-autonomous regions. It has stood apart from much of the Sunni and Shiite rivalry and the attention of outside insurgents. The most powerful group in this area is the Kurds, an Indo-European ethnic group that for centuries has worked for and fought to establish an independent territory in an area that covers parts of Turkey and Iran as well as Iraq. In some ways the U.S. invasion and occupation diverted attention elsewhere to some extent and after years of attacks, forced relocations, discrimination, and even poison gas attacks under Saddam Hussein, the Kurds were given some measure of self-rule as well as a mandated participation in the U.S. dominated Iraqi government. They as well were given roles in the management of the massive oil fields near Kirkuk, damaged and underutilized but still with huge potential. This may all now change and these bombings are a terrible sign.
Under the Sunni governments the Kurds were targeted for persecution. Shiite Iran has centuries old enmity toward the Kurds, and now Shiite Iraqis, a majority no longer dominated by the Sunnis, can begin to exercise their historic biases that are shared with Iran. Turkey has long fought border wars with Kurds, and Kurdish guerilla groups and civilians are a constant and despised presence on their borders. The fact that Kurdish areas have benefitted to some extent in recent years and have become more organized as a political force in northern Iraq has few supporters. In fact it is likely seen as threatening to all that surround them. This could be ugly.
The two bombings in the Kirkuk area over the past two weeks represent almost half of the deaths during the recent upsurge in terrorist attacks in Iraq that have seemingly in anticipation of this U.S. first step back. In the chaotic atmosphere of Iraq this may have little meaning, one could hope so, but one could also have reason to expect that this is the beginning of another dark time for the Kurdish population of northern Iraq.
posted by John Borden at 11:13 PM
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