Second Blog Post: International Tensions Surrounding Iraq

Read the Article, this post is my commentary on it:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/us-drops-weapons-aid-to-kurds-fighting-islamic-state-in-syria/2014/10/20/2f1ed41c-5801-11e4-b812-38518ae74c67_story.html

As the fighting occurs in Iraq, intervention is occurring as the United States assists the Kurds by dropping supplies to them in Kobane. Iraq is considered to be a failed state, as it is in a bad neighborhood, the terrorist group ISIS has become prevalent, and the Iraqi government has failed to maintain internal sovereignty. This represents a security threat to the United States and its allies. As tensions surmount in Iraq, tensions are increasing for all parties involved.

Iraq has been disturbed because of the cold war . It was a sight of a proxy war between the United States and the Soviet Union. The United States put Saddam Hussein into power so that the US could secure its own interests(oil). However, in-fighting occurred because Saddam Hussein was a corrupt leader. He was leading a fractionalized country with many different interests. As a result, the US had to take him out of power and build up a new government that would align with the interests of the US and the interests of the people of Iraq. However, after the US left, a power vacuum has occurred,  with the different interests competing for power. Among these interests are the Kurds, ISIS, and the shiite muslims that want to gain control of the resources.  

Different states in the alliance against ISIS have different interests.The United States wants to ensure its own security and prevent terrorism from spreading in the Middle East. By helping the Kurds, the United States is helping them to contain ISIS. The Kurds are a native people, that have been marginalized throughout history. They are moderate muslims that allow woman to ride bikes, fight in its militias, and not wear burkas. However, the Kurds are also trying to fight the regime of Bashar Al Assad in Syria to create their own state within Syria and Iraq. This is a problem because Turkey does not want to cede territory over to the Kurds to create the Kurdish state. As a result, Turkey will allow the Turkish Kurds to help fight ISIS and the Syrian regime if the Syrian Kurds promise not to seek its own autonomy. The US wants the Kurds to unite so they can become stronger in the fight against ISIS. As the Kurds have limited ammunition, they could increase their power by using the aid from the United States and other countries.

Turkey does not want the Turkish Kurds to join the battle because it is worried that they will incite the other Kurds to attack Turkey. The Turkish Kurds have formed a terrorist organization called the PKK that has attempted to fight against the government in Turkey. This is a security challenge to Turkey as they have to choose between letting the Kurds unite to fight ISIS while allowing the Kurds to become stronger and possibly attack Turkey for more territory.

As the fighting occurs within Iraq between the Kurds, ISIS, and the alliance of other states, the tension has continued to increase. The States involved are attempting to promote their own security by attacking ISIS. The Kurds desire to create their own state and gain autonomy. Turkey will only help the Kurds if they decide to abandon the goal to create their own state.