There have been several diaries lately about the Kurds and the Turkish border, Kirkuk, the debacle in Iraq; some of these diaries well sourced, others, not so much...
But, who are the Kurds? Who are these Middle Eastern people that have both men and women in their army? Who are these mountain warriors that their neighbors refer to as the 'best fighters in the Middle East'? Who are these ancient people whom claim descent from the Biblical Medes ?
Since it's a good idea to know who we (the American people) are doing business with, I thought I'd put in my two cents based on actual experience; time I've spent with the Kurds and the seven years of research I've done about them for a book I am working on. It's a long diary, but they're an ancient people, so, forgive me if there's a lot to say.
I first came acoss this article in 2007.
I still consider it to be one of the best pieces of ethnography I've encountered since first using the Internet (that was way back in 1934).
Lots of details but definitely worth a read if you want a deeper understanding of as group that is one of the key players in the current situation in the Middle East.
Great article Krish...Lot's of information and historical data...I've been interested in the Kurds for the last couple of years but leaned a lot from this article.
BTW there are 7,000 Kurds in Australia.
BTW there are 7,000 Kurds in Australia.
There are quite a few in Israel as well-- over 100,00 I believe.
Many people assume that because of conflicits between Arabs and Kurds, Kurds must not be Muslims-- but the majority are (Sunni Muslims). They are not a different religion than Artan Sunnis-- rather they are a different ethnic group. (However Kurds are not the sort to go on jihad, etc.)
Also some of those in Iraq are Christian. Some were Jews-- but when the modern sate of Israel was created in 1948, Kurdish Jews fled to Israel.
In the past there were rumours that Israel had send military trainers into Iraq to sterngthen the Kurdish fighters.. Of course both the Israeli gov't and the Kurds denied that for political reasons-- but it was true. (Both were united in their hatred of Saddam, for example).
You might wonder how Israelis managed to get into an Arab country un-noticed. (and one that doesn't even border it). Well, for one thing, a lot of the IDF people they snuck into Kurduistan (Northern Iraq) were Israelis who had been Iraqi Kurds-- so they not only spoke fluent Arabic-- but also fluent Kurdish! (And with the appropriate Iraqi Kurdish accents).
BTW there are 7,000 Kurds in Australia.
IMO one of the reasons ISIS spread so rapidly is up until fairly recently tjhere was much rersistance to them in the Arab world. (And while the U.S. had some military action it was fairly limited-- limited airstrikes). The Kurds were the only people in the area really going against ISIS full out).
And while Assad and ISIS are supposedly enemies-- he is a tyrant-- so the Kurds were fighting both ISIS and Assad!
(Because of the moronic thinking in the State Dept, the U.S. refused to provide the Kurds with the heavy weapons they needed).