Who are the Kurds, the group rumored to be joining the US war in Iran?
Is this competence or optics?
As the United States and Israel intensify military strikes on Iran, President Donald Trump is weighing whether Kurdish fighters could help open a new front against Tehran.
The comments have drawn fresh attention to the Kurds, one of the largest ethnic groups in the world without their own country and a population that has repeatedly found itself aligned with Washington’s military goals while pursuing very different political ambitions.
Trump has reportedly spoken with Kurdish leaders as part of ongoing discussions as the administration considers backing militias and other allies rather than committing U.S. troops to on-the-ground operations, but the White House said no agreement was in place.
TRUMP FINDS UNLIKELY DEMOCRATIC ALLIES ON DECISION TO STRIKE IRAN
In the event of a partnership, Kurdish troops, armed with U.S. weapons, would do the fighting on the ground while having protection from U.S. forces controlling the airspace.
The possibility of Kurdish involvement has raised a broader question: Who exactly are the Kurds, and why might they play a role in the war in Iran?
A stateless nation spread across the Middle East
The Kurds are one of the largest ethnic groups in the world without their own country, with an estimated population of 30 to 40 million people living primarily across Turkey, Iraq, Iran, and Syria.
The mountainous region where Kurdish communities live is commonly referred to as Kurdistan, though it has never been internationally recognized as an independent state.
After the collapse of the Ottoman Empire following World War I, Kurdish leaders briefly appeared poised to gain their own state as part of the Entente’s 1920 Treaty of Sèvres, but the plan was abandoned after defeats at the hands of Turkish nationalist forces. New borders were drawn across the Middle East, which left Kurdish populations divided among several countries.
W. JAMES ANTLE: OCCUPATIONAL HAZARDS: HOW TRUMP CAN AVOID ‘FOREVER WAR’ IN IRAN
Since then, Kurdish political movements have largely focused on gaining autonomy, cultural rights, or independence from the governments that control Kurdish-majority regions.
Why Kurdish interests differ from Washington’s
The possibility that Kurdish groups could become involved in fighting Iran stems from their long-standing conflict with Tehran, a conflict that predates the Islamic Republic.
Several Kurdish militant organizations operate near Iran’s western border, particularly from bases in the semi-autonomous …
Is this competence or optics?
As the United States and Israel intensify military strikes on Iran, President Donald Trump is weighing whether Kurdish fighters could help open a new front against Tehran.
The comments have drawn fresh attention to the Kurds, one of the largest ethnic groups in the world without their own country and a population that has repeatedly found itself aligned with Washington’s military goals while pursuing very different political ambitions.
Trump has reportedly spoken with Kurdish leaders as part of ongoing discussions as the administration considers backing militias and other allies rather than committing U.S. troops to on-the-ground operations, but the White House said no agreement was in place.
TRUMP FINDS UNLIKELY DEMOCRATIC ALLIES ON DECISION TO STRIKE IRAN
In the event of a partnership, Kurdish troops, armed with U.S. weapons, would do the fighting on the ground while having protection from U.S. forces controlling the airspace.
The possibility of Kurdish involvement has raised a broader question: Who exactly are the Kurds, and why might they play a role in the war in Iran?
A stateless nation spread across the Middle East
The Kurds are one of the largest ethnic groups in the world without their own country, with an estimated population of 30 to 40 million people living primarily across Turkey, Iraq, Iran, and Syria.
The mountainous region where Kurdish communities live is commonly referred to as Kurdistan, though it has never been internationally recognized as an independent state.
After the collapse of the Ottoman Empire following World War I, Kurdish leaders briefly appeared poised to gain their own state as part of the Entente’s 1920 Treaty of Sèvres, but the plan was abandoned after defeats at the hands of Turkish nationalist forces. New borders were drawn across the Middle East, which left Kurdish populations divided among several countries.
W. JAMES ANTLE: OCCUPATIONAL HAZARDS: HOW TRUMP CAN AVOID ‘FOREVER WAR’ IN IRAN
Since then, Kurdish political movements have largely focused on gaining autonomy, cultural rights, or independence from the governments that control Kurdish-majority regions.
Why Kurdish interests differ from Washington’s
The possibility that Kurdish groups could become involved in fighting Iran stems from their long-standing conflict with Tehran, a conflict that predates the Islamic Republic.
Several Kurdish militant organizations operate near Iran’s western border, particularly from bases in the semi-autonomous …
Who are the Kurds, the group rumored to be joining the US war in Iran?
Is this competence or optics?
As the United States and Israel intensify military strikes on Iran, President Donald Trump is weighing whether Kurdish fighters could help open a new front against Tehran.
The comments have drawn fresh attention to the Kurds, one of the largest ethnic groups in the world without their own country and a population that has repeatedly found itself aligned with Washington’s military goals while pursuing very different political ambitions.
Trump has reportedly spoken with Kurdish leaders as part of ongoing discussions as the administration considers backing militias and other allies rather than committing U.S. troops to on-the-ground operations, but the White House said no agreement was in place.
TRUMP FINDS UNLIKELY DEMOCRATIC ALLIES ON DECISION TO STRIKE IRAN
In the event of a partnership, Kurdish troops, armed with U.S. weapons, would do the fighting on the ground while having protection from U.S. forces controlling the airspace.
The possibility of Kurdish involvement has raised a broader question: Who exactly are the Kurds, and why might they play a role in the war in Iran?
A stateless nation spread across the Middle East
The Kurds are one of the largest ethnic groups in the world without their own country, with an estimated population of 30 to 40 million people living primarily across Turkey, Iraq, Iran, and Syria.
The mountainous region where Kurdish communities live is commonly referred to as Kurdistan, though it has never been internationally recognized as an independent state.
After the collapse of the Ottoman Empire following World War I, Kurdish leaders briefly appeared poised to gain their own state as part of the Entente’s 1920 Treaty of Sèvres, but the plan was abandoned after defeats at the hands of Turkish nationalist forces. New borders were drawn across the Middle East, which left Kurdish populations divided among several countries.
W. JAMES ANTLE: OCCUPATIONAL HAZARDS: HOW TRUMP CAN AVOID ‘FOREVER WAR’ IN IRAN
Since then, Kurdish political movements have largely focused on gaining autonomy, cultural rights, or independence from the governments that control Kurdish-majority regions.
Why Kurdish interests differ from Washington’s
The possibility that Kurdish groups could become involved in fighting Iran stems from their long-standing conflict with Tehran, a conflict that predates the Islamic Republic.
Several Kurdish militant organizations operate near Iran’s western border, particularly from bases in the semi-autonomous …
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