Syrian Kurds declare autonomous government

[shira]

Long oppressed under Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and his father before him, Kurds view the civil war as an opportunity to gain the kind of autonomy enjoyed by their ethnic kin in neighboring Iraq.

http://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/middle-east/2013/11/12/Syrian-Kurds-declare-autonomous-government.html

Free Kurdistan? Anyone? Bueller?

[Scootaloo]

1. Saw that one coming two years ago

As I said when this mess in Syria started, "I hope no one is too fond of the current map of the Middle East."

Of course, the map you show is unlikely to be the final product; Turkey and Iran certainly aren't going to cede their Kurdish areas... And very likely this declaration gets no international recognition except from one or two states - Well, three or four, since Micronesia and Palau's UN votes are always for sale.

[azurnoir]

2. ah but don't forget Iraq

Iraq needs Iraqi Kurdistan way more that Iraqi Kurdistan needs the rest of the Iraq, it has a magic and rare combo-oil and water

[Scootaloo]

3. And Iraqi Kurdistan is probably the more powerful, between it and Baghdad

Could go a number of ways - Syrian Kurdistan could become its own thing. or could join with Iraqi Kurdistan, either becoming an extension of Iraq, or forming a breakaway state.

Or most likely, it'll just end up like Russel Means' declaration of the Republic of Lakota did, a few years back. Except, y'know, with way more shooting.

[azurnoir]

4. ctually I have no problem with there being a Kurdistan

and seriously I hope you're wrong about the shooting part , but probably not