The Kurds – who occupy a mountainous region that includes portions of Armenia, Iran, Iraq, Syria, and Turkey – are the largest ethnic group in the world without a state to call their own. It is time to change that.
TEL AVIV – The Kurds – who occupy a mountainous region that includes portions of Armenia, Iran, Iraq, Syria, and Turkey – are the largest ethnic group in the world without a state to call their own. It is time to change that.
The Kurds have been making bids for statehood – and having them brutally suppressed – since the early twentieth century. But there is a strong case for the United States, in particular, to work toward securing a homeland for the Kurds – a case buttressed by Kurdish militias’ indispensable contribution to defeating the Islamic State.
To be sure, the establishment of a “greater Kurdistan” that includes all areas where the Kurds comprise a majority remains impossible. If internal Kurdish politics were not enough to prevent such an outcome, geostrategic constraints certainly would be.
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TEL AVIV – The Kurds – who occupy a mountainous region that includes portions of Armenia, Iran, Iraq, Syria, and Turkey – are the largest ethnic group in the world without a state to call their own. It is time to change that.
The Kurds have been making bids for statehood – and having them brutally suppressed – since the early twentieth century. But there is a strong case for the United States, in particular, to work toward securing a homeland for the Kurds – a case buttressed by Kurdish militias’ indispensable contribution to defeating the Islamic State.
To be sure, the establishment of a “greater Kurdistan” that includes all areas where the Kurds comprise a majority remains impossible. If internal Kurdish politics were not enough to prevent such an outcome, geostrategic constraints certainly would be.
To continue reading, please log in or enter your email address.
To read this article from our archive, please log in or register now. After entering your email, you'll have access to two free articles every month. For unlimited access to Project Syndicate, subscribe now.