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| Axis of Evil |
| Kurdish groups want U.S. guarantees |
| 2002-06-13 |
| Kurdish envoys have told U.S. officials that they would not agree to an American military attack from northern Iraq without guarantees that Washington will remain in the area indefinitely to protect the Kurds. The envoys cited the Iraqi military offensive in Kurdistan in 1995, which prompted a flight by CIA operatives and their Kurdish allies. Western diplomatic sources said U.S. officials have relayed a pledge from Washington that it will maintain its campaign to topple Iraqi President Saddam Hussein. Kurdish leaders discussed with U.S. officials a proposal for a federal state in Iraq that would include an autonomous Kurdish region in the north and an Arab area in the southern and central portion of the country. The proposed Kurdish area of autonomy would designate Kirkuk as the capital. Turkey has expressed opposition to the plan. This is probably the reason the operation against Iraq seems to be proceeding at such a liesurely pace. Washington's got to work out some sort of balance between the Kurds and the Turks, not to mention the competing parties who will make up the post-Tikriti Mafia government. The Kurds got a serious screwing in 1995, and the people of southern Iraq took it in the shortz in the immediate wake of the Gulf War. I think the primary reason it's going so slowly is that everyone concerned needs the assurance that Sammy's going to do either a Mussolini or a Ceaucescu — not an Idi Amin. Chavez popping back up in Venezuela, whether we had anything to do with his ouster or not, doesn't make things any easier. |
| Posted by:Fred Pruitt |