Baghdad (AFP) — Lawmakers in crisis-hit Iraq are set to meet Thursday for their fourth attempt this year to elect a new state president and break political gridlock that has sparked protests and deadly violence.

Michael Arizanti

Qazi Muhammad pointed out: “The success of any people is caused by, unity and support of their whole nation, any nation that does not have unity will forever be under its enemies’ rule”.

It was the Kurdish Peshmerga that destroyed the myth of ISIS being a invicible fighting force, already in 2014, and became famous worldwide for their heroism. But it also showed the weakness of the Peshmerga forces, the lack of unity.

During the winter of 2014 Kurdish peshmerga forces linked to the Kurdish Democratic Party (KDP) advanced upon ISIS terrorists in Kharabut, in the historic Kurdish area of Kirkuk. The Peshmergas even managed to take over the city, even though only temporarily. It didn’t take long before the Peshmerga forces faced a very aggressive ISIS counterattack, and for tactical reasons the Peshmerga forces decided to retreat.

During this event, another Peshmerga force linked to political party Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), in blindness of the situation prepared to advance on Kharabut themselves, totally unaware of the amassed ISIS fighters.

The lack of communication, unity and cooperation between KDP and PUK Peshmerga resulted in the death of at least 11 Peshmerga soldiers. They didn’t have to die, if the Peshmerga wasn’t so disorganized and disconnected to each other. The lack of unification between Peshmerga forces, the lack of a national Kurdish army creates a lot of problems, and it’s probably the Kurds biggest weakness and obstacle for a future autonomous Kurdistan.

The Peshmerga “those who face death” are the Kurdish fighting forces. Many regard them as one of the most effective ground forces in the modern history, and the most effective force in the fight against ISIS.

Today western (Syria Kurdistan), southern (Kurdistan Region of Iraq) and eastern Kurdistan (Kurdistan Iran) have Peshmerga forces. Kurdistan Region Peshmerga together with support of Peshmerga forces from Iran occupied Kurdistan, they claimed key victories in Kurdistan Region and Iraq against ISIS, in spite of the lack of an independent state, lack of Kurdish unity, their troubles with Baghdad, lack of arms, and lack of support from the world community.

The victory over ISIS also shows what fantastic opportunities there are, if the Peshmerga reforms become a reality, not only as an important cornerstone for a future autonomous Kurdistan, but also as an important factor for stability and security for the whole region.

In the Kurdish documentary “No friends but the mountains” by prominent filmmaker Kae Bahar, from 2017, General Yazdapana from the Parti Azadi Kurdistan said something very interesting: “The Kurdish unity is flawed. Kurdish unity exists at grassroots level but not at the top. The Kurdish leaders are not yet politically united to liberate Kurdistan. There is no agreement on how to move forward and unite all the Kurds. These divisions are caused by political leaders. Political allegiances are as destructive as the enemies who want to keep us divided”.

This is the same problem and opportunities immortal Kurdish leader Qazi Mohammad pointed out in his last speech: “The success of any people is caused by unity and support of their whole nation, any nation that does not have unity will forever be under its enemies’ rule”.

You as Kurds are no less than other free nations.

On the contrary you are in many ways more ready than other nations that freed themselves before from cruelty.

But those who freed themselves had unity among them.

For you to be free you have to stop fighting among yourselves, stop keeping jealousy for each other, stop selling yourselves to the enemy. Only then you can be free and live in a free country.

The Peshmerga is Kurd regional force in Kurdistan. In the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, the force is authorized under the Iraqi Constitution (article 121/5).

When it comes to the Peshmerga reforms, and the unification of the Peshmerga. It should be noted that the Regional Guard Brigades (RGBs) are free of external political influence under the command of the Ministry of Peshmerga Affair and elected civilian governance. It should be noted that on the 16th of October 2017, 8 out of 14 brigades split along KDP and PUK lines, they remain splitted.

It should also be noted that all attempts to unify the Peshmerga under government control have failed since the 1990s, but have had positive progress the last few years. Per date PUK and KDP retain their own Pershmerga.

The PUK and KDP also retain their own Peshmerga, separate from the RGBs.

These are called the 70s and 80s Forces respectively. The Netherlands, the US, the UK and Germany have formed the world unique Multi National Advisory Group (MNAG) that enthusiastically supports the Kurdistan Region with their Peshmerga reforms.

As a result of MNAG effort and support, Kurdish leaders earlier this year put heavy support units of the KDPs 80th Unit and the PUKs 70th Unit under the command of the Ministry of Peshmerga Affairs. If KRG and Kurds want a unified effective, modern Peshmerga force – these are important steps that are going very slow (started 2015), but of huge importance.

Kurdistan Regional Government commitment to the Peshmerga reforms: In order to strengthen Kurdistan Region defense capability, counter risks and enhance the security of the Kurdistan Region, KRG will review the current mechanisms for re-organizing and unifying the Peshmerga forces and internal security forces, in coordination with the Kurdistan Region presidency. They will do this with the help of local and international experts. We will also elevate the professional and military capability of our forces.

From a friend of Kurds in Europe

I have been involved in the Kurdish issue in various ways for over 15 years now. I have great respect for the fact that Kurdish parties are trying to learn from their historical mistakes, especially when it comes to letting different destructive forces make Kurds fight against each other.

I am very well acquainted with the painful civil war in the 90s, what happened in Kirkuk 2017, and more. I am also relatively knowledgeable in modern Kurdish history. I see why the formation of a Kurdish state failed in Red Kurdistan, the Republic of Ararat, the Republic of Mahabad and other attempts.

The biggest problem has been the lack of Kurdish national unity. After the Ottoman’s fall, there was really nothing that could have stopped the formation of a Kurdish nation-state if all the Kurds had been one.

Instead, there were different clans, dynasties and more that fought against occupying powers, as Qazi Muhammad pointed out: “The success of any people is caused by, unity and support of their whole nation, any nation that does not have unity will forever be under its enemies’ rule”.

We all saw that while the Iraqi army with high-tech modern weapons ran from ISIS, the Peshmerga ran towards ISIS to fight them – with old worn out AK47s. 

We all saw how difficult it was for the Kurdistan Region to receive weapons from the West in the war against ISIS during the first years, when these weapons were sent via Baghdad (which kept most of them).

However, that did not stop the heroic Peshmerga from crushing ISIS wherever they found them. Eventually, the coalition also realized that it was better to invest in the Peshmerga than the Iraqi army, and began to arm them. From then on it didn’t take long before ISIS was defeated in Iraq and Kurdistan Region.

So what’s the Peshmerga’s biggest strength?

Their fighting spirit, popular support, reliability, mass, and an unique intelligence network.

For the west the Peshmerga reforms are about creating an accountable, capable and affordable regional force operating as an effective element of the Iraqi Security Forces, for a more secure and stable Kurdistan Region within Iraq. 

That should not be the Kurdish government objective. The objective of the Kurdistan Region Government should be to use the Peshmerga reforms as a cornerstone to build a future independent Kurdish state. Security, safety, and stability are the cornerstones of a sovereign nation state.

If we look at the history of Israel, we quickly see how strong one can become through a united national army, even when one is threatened. Even when the nation is newly formed. Israel’s army was built by various militias joining forces. Kurdistan is different but still in a fairly similar situation as Israel in the late 40s.

Kurdistan is historically a tribal society, and historically the Peshmerga have also been loyal to different tribes, the local community, or political parties. In connection with the democratic development in the Kurdistan Region, there will be a lot of challenges, such as the Peshmerga becoming one national army, which will also create enormous opportunities for the future Kurdish independent state. 

Whatever the future has to bring, one thing is a curtain: The increasing importance of Kurds and Kurdistan for the future of the Middle East as international politics. That is in the Kurdistan regional government’s favor!

Disclaimer: Views expressed by writers in this section are their own and do not reflect Milli Chronicle’s point-of-view.

To adjust the deal US Vice President Mike Pence met Erdogan and delegates from both the sides agreed that all military operations will be paused to allow a pullback of Kurdish YPG militia over a 120-hour period, and the Turkey should withdraw all its forces.

“The Turkish side will pause Operation Peace Spring in order to allow for the withdrawal of YPG forces from the safe zone for 120 hours,” Pence said.

“All military operations under Operation Peace Spring will be paused, and Operation Peace Spring will be halted entirely on completion of the withdrawal,” Pence added.

The deal also mean that Turkey will not engage in military operations in the flashpoint Syrian border town of Kobani, Pence said.

Over 200,000 civilians fled from the northern Syria fearing the Turkish aggression, and over thousands of ISIS fighters were released from Kurdish jails. Further, Trump called it a way to save “Millions of Lives”.

Trump tweeted after Erdogan bowed to the warnings, “I am proud of the United States for sticking by me in following a necessary, but somewhat unconventional path, people have been trying to make this “Deal” for many years. Millions of lives will be saved. Congratulations to ALL!”

This is a great day for civilization. I am proud of the United States for sticking by me in following a necessary, but somewhat unconventional, path. People have been trying to make this “Deal” for many years. Millions of lives will be saved. Congratulations to ALL!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 17, 2019

Pence also added that he spoken to US President Donald Trump after the talks and that Trump had expressed his gratitude for the ceasefire accord.

Kurdish political parties pose a threat to Erdogan’s one-party-state Sultanate of autocratic militarist enforcement in Turkish politics

The Kurds are a stateless ethnic group dispersed primarily throughout the nations of Turkey, Iran, Iraq, Armenia, and Syria – make up a region called Kurdistan.

The Kurdish population stands at about 25-30 million.

The majority of Kurds are devout Sunni Muslims.

Were Kurds promised a State?

Yes. After World War One and the defeat of the Ottoman Empire, the victorious Western allies made provisions for a Kurdish state in the 1920 Treaty of Sevres.

After the collapse of the Ottoman Turkish empire, Turkish nationalists led by Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, fought off the imperialist powers which were seekng to divide what is today Turkey into smaller territories. 

Ataturk deceived the Kurds by promising them the right to self-rule in Kurdistan, if they fought alongside his nationalist forces.

After the war ended, the Turkish state was established in 1934, but Kurdistan abandoned deceptively.

The “Treaty of Lausanne” set the boundaries of modern Turkey, but made no provision for a Kurdish state and left Kurds scattered as minority status in their respective countries. 

Millions of Kurds ended up living in a Turkish nationalist state that wanted to “Turkify” all within its borders. The nationalist nature of the Turkish republic aimed at ethnically erasing the Kurdish identity and replacing it with a Turkish one.

Over the next 80 years, any move by Kurds to set up an independent state was brutally quashed and labelled terrorism.

Tayyip Erdogan’s Kurdophobia: his deep-rooted personal hatred of Kurds

Abd Salam Ali, a representative of the Syrian Kurdish Democratic Union Party (PYD), says Erdogan “suffers from Kurdophobia.” 

Erdogan’s interviews verify his ideology – “PKK, PYD, DHKPC, YPG, YPJ may have different names but they are all terrorist organizations”

Erdogan vowed Turkey would continue its “anti-terrorist” operation in the south-eastern part of Turkey until everyone who fightd against Turkey or even supports Kurds “will be buried in the trenches they have dug.”

On other hand, Erdogan lends military and financial support to terrorist groups like the Jaysh al-Fateh (Army of Conquest), Jabhat al-Nusra (al-Qaeda’s branch in Syria) and ISIS.

Recent Kurdish genocide in Turkey

The recent conflict between the Turkish government and Kurds started in 1984. Since then over 40,000 people have been killed because of it, according to the Guardian.

In 2015, around 3,100 PKK members and 162 innocent civilians were killed in Turkey.

The Turkish army is responsible for burning almost 3,000 Kurdish settlements and displacing 2,000,000 people.

Between August 16, 2015 and January 10, 2016 in 19 districts across the provinces of Diyarbakir, Sirnak, Mardin and Hakkari, a total of 58 curfews were imposed by the Turkish government.

Kurdish Role in defeating ISIS

The Kurds do not want their aspired homeland Kurdistan to be run over by ISIS militia.

The Obama and Trump administrations, have relied on the Syrian Kurdish militia as the most potent fighters against ISIS.

Since 2014, with the start of military action against ISIS, about 11,000 Kurds died in that fight.

Now that the Kurds almost succeeded as lead role in ousting ISIS from its territory, Erdogan invades Syria – unleashed airstrikes and artillery barrages to slaughter Kurds & release ISIS fighters.

About 70,000 ISIS fighters & supporters are currently held in SDF controlled prison camp by Kurds.

According to Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut, “Erdogan told President Trump that Turkey will be responsible for ISIS captives in Syria taken over by Turkish military”.

Why? So, they could set ISIS devils free again.

Why is it personal for Erdogan?

First, Kurdish political parties pose a threat to Erdogan’s one-party-state Sultanate of autocratic militarist enforcement in Turkish politics and a danger to Erdogan’s sadistic Neo-Ottoman designs.

Second, Erdogan’s family has been accused of dealing & benefited from the illegal smuggling of oil from ISIS held territory.

In 2016, Wikileaks published an archive of 58,000 emails documenting the involvement of Erdogan’s son-in-law, Berat Albayrak, in helping ISIS market oil stolen from Syria and Iraq.

Anatoly Antonov, Russia’s deputy defence minister, had said: “Turkey is the main consumer of the oil stolen from its rightful owners, Syria and Iraq. The appalling part about it is that the country’s top political leadership is involved in the illegal business—President Erdogan and his family.”

Antonov also said, “In the West, no one has asked questions about the fact that the Turkish president’s son heads one of the biggest energy companies, or that his son-in-law has been appointed energy minister. What a marvelous family business!”

Erdogan’s interest in revival of ISIS

First, ISIS kills off Kurds for Erdogan. Second, it ensures his family’s billion dollar oil business empire.

Since 2012, the Turkish intelligence service, MIT, under Erdogan’s direction, has been providing resources and material assistance to ISIS, while Turkish Customs officials turned a blind eye to ISIS recruits flowing across Turkey’s borders into Syria and Iraq.

In October 2015, the Financial Times revealed that the average production of the ISIS’ oil was 34,000-40,000 barrels per day, which they sold for 20-45 dollars each. This meant $1.5 million daily income.

Finally, ISIS is the silent militia tool that shall enable Erdogan to implement his fascist version of Caliphate in Middle East – through evil proxies.

Why Saudi Arabia supports the Kurds?

First, Syria is an Arab land and Turkish invasion of it under any pretext cannot be allowed.

Second, Saudi Arabia is backing Kurdish efforts to win over Syrian tribes loyalty from the regime, so Assad Bashar could be ousted.

Third, retd Saudi Major General Anwar Eshki told the CFR, that the creation of a Greater Kurdistan through peaceful means would “reduce Iranian, Turkish and Iraqi ambitions. This will carve away one third of the territory of each country in favour of Kurdistan.”

What should we do?

Inform people that Turkey has invaded a sovereign Arab State Syria, in defiance of international laws & resolutions.

There is no comparison between Syria and Yemen.

Saudi military action against the terrorist rafidah militia Houthis was taken upon an appeal made by the Yemeni President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi, in accordance with UNSC Resolution 2216 and Article 55.

The embattled President plead the UN Securit Council, Arab League and GCC to authorise a military intervention “to protect Yemen and to deter Houthi aggression”.

Syrian Kurds did NOT plead Turkish forces to save them from atrocities of Assad Bashar. Erdogan allied with alawi Assad Bashar to slaughter sunni Kurds.

The Houthis lobbed over 260 missiles at Saudi Arabia, and some targeted Makkah. Yet, Saudi Arabia has provided over $14 billion in assistance to Yemen.

Senior Houthi leader Abdul Karim Khiwari had announced “they would conquer Ka’abah” and circumambulate it as conquerors’.

Afreen Baig is a regular writer on contemporary issues of Middle-East and the Arab World. She writes for the Milli Chronicle. She tweets under @afreenb179 and she can be followed on Facebook.