The far-too-successful nation-building that is Kurdistan

ARTICLE: "A Separate Peace: Kurds are cultivating their own bonds with the United States," by Rajiv Chandrasekaran, Washington Post National Weekly Edition, 30 April-6 May 2007, p. 7

Enterra just sent over its first personnel to Kurdistan on its first Development-in-a-Box contract with the US Government. All one can ask for is an incentivized target and the Kurds are definitely that.

Kurdistan markets itself like pork: the "other white meat."

The 30-second television commercial features stirring scenes of a young Iraqi boy high-fiving a U.S. soldier, a Westerner dining alfresco, and men and women dancing together. "Have you seen the other Iraq?" the narrator asks. "It's spectacular. It's joyful."

"Welcome to Iraqi Kurdistan," the narrator continues. "It's not a dream. It's the other Iraq.".

Slick as s--t, no?

You gotta love this sort of democracy in action:

With Sunni and Shiite Arabs locked in a bloody sectarian war, Iraq's Kurds are promoting their interests through an influence-buying campaign in the United States that includes airing nationwide television advertisements, hiring powerful Washington lobbyists and playing parts of the U.S. government against one another.

Their model for a strategic and institutional relationship with the U.S.: Israel and Taiwan.

Now that's brilliant.

Think about it: protection despite lacking certain international recognition.

The Kurds believe they should be recognized as a certifiable success story in a war that has lasted more than four years. They're largely secular, no U.S. military personnel have been killed in Kurdistan since the March 2003 invasion, and business is booming in Irbil and other Kurdish cities because Kurdish militias, known as peshmerga, have managed to keep out Sunni Arab insurgents.

Yugoslavia didn't fall into place in a day. It did so in sequential chunks. Recognizing Kurdistan-the-success is crucial to keeping the Big Bang sequential instead of cumulative.

Take what the board gives you, I say.

And pull most U.S. troops eventually back to Kurdistan. Don't leave Iraq, but stay where you're welcome and accept a certain commute for certain necessary activities.

Grow some lawn and stop only killing weeds. Then let others see where the grass is greener.

Demonstration effects make globalization go round.

Comments

[Jamie]

Great stuff,

I saw this coming back in 2004. As an Operations Officer stationed in Mosul, we knew where the distinct "green line" was north of Mosul. The Kurds owned that land (via Peshmurga and cultural influence).

We even "hired" Peshmurga to come into Mosul in an effort to use their local security experience. Hard working, smart and dedicated people! Whenever we could, we would take trips up to Dahook (small city in Iraqi Kurdistan) as a stress reliever. In dahook, you could walk around the streets just like at home. No body armor, minimal security.

Kudos to Kurdistan!

[chris]

Good to see the Kurds "standing up". The situation with Turkey looks pretty ominious though. What are your thoughts on these?

http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0d6d1764-e95c-11db-a162-000b5df10621.htmlhttp://www.ft.com/cms/s/62cfc84a-e700-11db-9034-000b5df10621.htmlhttp://search.ft.com/ftArticle?queryText=turkey+pkk+&aje=true&id=070201001148

[Dick Maag]

Might not the "good life" begin to persuade the Kurdish separtists who have taken sanctuary in Iraqui Kudistan to give up the fight with Turkey?

[Craig]

Absolutely right on, the U.S. should be promoting the success in Kurdistan. Again unfortunately the Bush Administration continues to play checkers while everyone else in the region is playing chess.

[The Globalizer]

I *heart* Kurdistan.

Little to add other than that.