By Dr. Mohammad Salih Mustafa
Disregarding where the war is heading and what are going to be the consequences, what is important for the Kurds is to realise its near future role in the changing Middle East. First of all, it is crucial for the Kurds in all parts of Kurdistan to be wary, and not jump into the war without being aware of all the possible scenarios, and to understand that the war is still in its first stages. The war might end at any moment; however, this is only another series of its possible ongoing yet its early phases.
In politics, realising who you are, what do you need and how would you go about it, is so important, and to me, this is the core of art of politics. Without this, you are going around in circles. It is time for the Kurds to recall the fact that they are the indigenous people of the land that they are living on, which is called Kurdistan with the earliest civilisations of humanity. Then, the Kurds must be clear about what they want from Iraq, Iran, Turkey and Syria. Here briefly, we are going to talk about the ‘how’ of the mentioned three crucial parts of politics.
In my Keynote and published paper at the fifth International Conference on Accounting, Business, Economics and Politics (ICABEP) that took place at Szczecin University in Poland in 2023, I referred to the Kurdish issue as ‘the Middle East’s Predominant Issue’. In the paper, which is supported by data-driven evidence, I have argued that “the majority of the issues of the Middle East are due to not solving the Kurdish issue in Iraq by integrating the Kurds into the state”. This related only to the Kurdish issue in Iraq alone. What about the wider Kurdistan and the right of the Kurds in Turkey, Iran and Syria? Therefore, whoever cares about the Middle East and its countries including the countries that Kurdistan has been divided among, inevitably must seek a fundamental solution that produces ongoing stability and growth across the Middle East.
Generally, currently the four countries that Kurdistan is divided among, realise that the Kurdish issue must be solved. This is where the role of the Kurds, particularly the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) and its leading parties comes across. As present, the KRG has wisely adopted a non-aligned position, yet from multiple sources Kurdistan Region is under fire, it is crucial that Kurdistan Region keeps its position not to take the side of any of the fighting parties. Also, to keep its advisory position towards the Kurds in all parts of Kurdistan and their political parties, Kurdistan Region and its leading parties; namely KDP and PUK, must no further delay formation the new cabinet of KRG and to have a unified position in Baghdad in forming the New Iraqi Government. Unfortunately, none of these steps are done until this moment, and it doesn’t seem to be done soon. Thus, the KRG is not fully ready for the task in this way.
Therefore, the KRG should get ready for the expected task in relation to the Kurdish issue and its role in bringing the Kurdish Political Parties and Iran together, of course soon after the ceasefire. This is similar to what was expected from KRG in relation to the Kurdish issue in Turkey and Syria. As mentioned above, all the four countries — Iran, Iraq, Turkey and Syria — have already realised the importance of appeasing the Kurds and integrating them into their countries as partners. The current war has had an important role in this regard, to make the above mentioned four states more realistic, and mitigate the Madman theory. For that, the KRG must be ready, and should have an active role to enhance the status of itself in Iraq, and the Kurds in the other three parts of Kurdistan. Its crucial role is to remind those states that appeasing the Kurds is necessary for their stability and the stability of the wider Middle East. Because as they have already realised, further wars around the Middle East are expected at any time. Thus, appeasing the Kurds, is primarily in their own interest.