Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) has failed to get it right in so many ways. The oil portfolio is a fiasco, the services sector is failing, civil servants are getting more and more frustrated due to months of unpaid salary, and above all the gap between the government and the people is widening incrementally. KRG is … Continue reading KRG Is In Serious Trouble! What Is Next?
15 Years Later…Never Forget
15 Years have passed since that dreadful morning when I was sitting at my desk in my cubicle on the production floor of a manufacturing facility in Logan, Utah when my coworker Cody came in and told me what he had just heard on the radio on his way in. "A plane has crashed into World Trade Center in New York" he said. We immediately tuned into NPR, our media platform of choice at the time. Shortly after more people came in and gathered around the radio receiver. We listened as the news of a second plain crashing into the second tower was announced. Time froze, not a word was spoken by any of us, we were all looking at each other with horror. We all had the same question; What the hell just happened?
August 31st 1996, Historical Facts
At the time the Kurdistan Parliament was shared "fifty/fifty" as it was common to refer to the power distribution between Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) MPs and Patriotic Union of Kurdistan MPs. The Speaker of the Parliament was KDP and his Deputy was PUK. The Prime Minister was from the PUK, his Deputy was from the KDP. The Ministers were also equally distributed. The 50/50 phenomenon was so absurd that a local poet charged the political parties of equally distributing the number of prostitutes as well.
Baghdad and Erbil Have Began a War of Words Over Mosul
As of yesterday, Baghdad and Erbil have exchanged contradictory and provocative statements regarding the participation of the Kurdish Peshmerga Forces in the liberation of Mousl. Baghdad's statements indicate that Peshmerga will not be included in the campaign to liberate Mosul. Furthermore the official statements demand that Kurdish forces withdraw from the areas they have already … Continue reading Baghdad and Erbil Have Began a War of Words Over Mosul
Mosul Liberation May Come Too Soon
Over a year ago I wrote about the liberation of Mosul from ISIS, and at the time all indications were that the operation was not going to be an easy one. There was also no known timetable. Today, some changes have taken place, but the reality is that the operations for liberating Mosul may come … Continue reading Mosul Liberation May Come Too Soon
The 25th anniversary of the popular uprising is Not celebrated. Why?
The 5th of March marks the beginning of the popular Kurdish uprising against the government of Saddam Hussein in 1991 after the first Persian Gulf War, Desert Storm. This year the Iraqi Kurdistan region was to celebrate the 25th anniversary, however the fear of yet another popular uprising against the very political parties that the first uprising brought about, has prevented the region from celebration.
Boots on the Ground or Birds in the Sky?
Ever-since the ISIS crisis broke out in Syria and Iraq, the US administration has been consistent on one thing, the refusal to put combat boots on the ground.
Kurdistan Regional Government Issues A Statement Addressing the Current Immigration Crisis
On September 3rd, 2015, the press office of the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) issued a statement to address the recent migrant crisis facing the Middle East and Europe. In the statement KRG places the responsibility of protecting Kurds squarely on the governments of Europe and other developed countries. While failing to address the root causes of this wave of migration, the statement asks Kurdish citizens to stay in their own country and to avoid the treacherous and uncertain trip to other countries.
Did Saddam Hussein Plan The Destruction of Iraq?
Looking at the events of today's Iraq, I often remember a quote by the ousted Iraqi president Saddam Hussein. I do wonder if he had a vision of what Iraq would be like after he was gone, or did he in fact plant such mechanism and means by which his quote has become a reality.
Genocide No More
As Armenians around the world commemorate the 100th anniversary of genocide, targeted at their existence based purely on ethnic differences, other parts of the world are boiling with ethnic, racial, and religious hatred at alarming levels. This month, on April 14, Iraqi Kurds also commemorated the Anfal genocide campaign. In Israel, US and some European countries, the official Remembrance Day for the holocaust is between April 7 and May 7.
Suicide Attack on US Consulate in Arbil
In the afternoon, local time, of Friday 4/17/2015 a suicide bomber attempted to enter the premises of the US Consulate in Arbil, Iraq. Local guards of the consulate opened fire on the vehicle and managed to prevent it from entry, at which point it is believed the suicide bomber detonated the load. As of the … Continue reading Suicide Attack on US Consulate in Arbil
Introduction to Kurdish Political Parties: History, Ideology and Goals
Introduction to Kurdish Political Parties: History, Ideology and Goals. Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP)
Lootings in Tikrit, why did they take place? And how they might affect Mosul operations?
The scenes of looting that were aired on local and international TV channels came only one day after the glamour shots of Prime Minister Haider Al Abadi triumphantly touring the streets of Tikrit holding the flag of his country. While looting is nothing new to Iraqis, this one might have been planned and could have dire repercussions for the supposed upcoming end of April operations to liberate Mosul.
The Distribution of Powers in the Middle East – Infographics
Who is who? And who backs who? And who’s fighting who in the Middle East? These are some of the most common questions I get from friends and followers of my blog posts. Even professionals and members of the academia who have been working on the ME issues sometimes lose track of how one group’s or one country’s alliance with one another or with the rest of the countries change.
Kurdish Women Fighters, Why Do They Join The YPG?
The focus of this article is the Kurdish women who join the Parti Krekarani Kurdistan (PKK) and Yakenin Parastina Gel (YPG) and as a result become part of the fighting force against the ruthless thugs of the self-proclaimed Islamic State in Iraq and Sham (ISIS).
Saudi Arabia’s Military Involvement in Yemen, Possibly an Outcome of US Policies in the Region
Saudi Arabia resisted the urge and need to get involved in Yemen for months, but the decision to launch an all-out air campaign, to be potentially followed by a military incursion on the ground, may be a sign of the Kingdom’s inability to decipher Washington’s signals. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) has been as concerned as Israel is about the spread of Iranian clout in the region, and has finally decided it had enough. This Saudi decision to take military action carries the risk of involvement in an open-ended campaign that might spill over inward and agitate its own Shiite population.
While Under Attack in Mosul, ISIS Attacks Kirkuk
As of 3 am local time, suicide bombers and some elements of ISIS have attacked police alstations and other government offices inside the city of Kirkuk. Fighting is still ongoing at the time of this writing. There is a curfew in the city until further notice. Counter terrorism groups have arrived in the city and … Continue reading While Under Attack in Mosul, ISIS Attacks Kirkuk
PUK Knocks On Baghdad’s Door As It Sees KDP Opening The Door For Turkey
A high ranking delegation from the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) is in Baghdad to discuss the Kurdish-Baghdad relations while the president of the Kurdistan Region, Massoud Barzani, of the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) visited Ankara on an official trip. The PUK delegation has made statements indicating that they believe there is a threat on the Kurdistan Region of Iraq emanating from the KDP-Ankara alliance.
Spotlight On Kurdish Issues 