tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1953410733493889728.post875473940998840045..comments2024-02-29T12:38:32.191-08:00Comments on MUSINGS ON IRAQ: The State Of The Kurdish Regional Government In Iraq, An Interview With National Defense Univ.'s Dr. Denise NataliJoel Winghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09611810110771744360noreply@blogger.comBlogger14125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1953410733493889728.post-79533128107210551802012-08-12T06:44:49.375-07:002012-08-12T06:44:49.375-07:00Dear Dr. Denise Natali,
No Kurd should be surprise...Dear Dr. Denise Natali,<br />No Kurd should be surprised by your views and such analysis. At the end of the day, you and other “scholars” are coming to Kurdistan with certain agendas. The good people of Kurdistan were very naïve when they welcomed “scholars” like you and the genius” Michael Robin, who gained good academic experience in the region and gathered sufficient information to sell it to his chiefs. He then did his utmost to defame the Kurds through accusing their system of corruption. He forgot that everybody knows the level of corruption within the political system in the Middle East and especially in Kurdistan region where the tribalism is still ruling.<br />You and others who have similar view as yours will never be happy to see an independent and stable Kurdistan simply because a free Kurdistan will not give you much excuse to intervene in the region and play the “Kurdish card” against the regional powers any longer. <br />You also have to realise that independence has never been granted. It has always been achieved by determined people with will power. For example, the Jewish people were expelled, chased and oppressed in different parts of the world. But their will power and their clever use the political developments facilitated the creation of a democratic state that is surrounded by barbaric regimes for more than 60 years now and it is flourishing. It also does not have many natural resources and man power in comparison to Kurdistan Region. <br />I hope Kurdish people read views of everybody who speaks about the Kurds in order to know their views but I wish they will never give weigh to such views as yours. I am sure and the majority of the Kurds know that the storm of change is blowing in this particular part of the world in and it will give the great opportunity that Kurds have been awaiting for for decades.<br />Thanks<br />Mohsn KhanaqahAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1953410733493889728.post-31857132978443345402012-08-10T11:16:36.447-07:002012-08-10T11:16:36.447-07:00I think this lady does not know much about Kurdist...I think this lady does not know much about Kurdistan, and i really feel sorry for the institute she works for and the AUIS who pay her salary to provide this very weak analysis. The situation in Kurdistan is much more complex than the ABC yes/no style she is using.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1953410733493889728.post-70746567456453835542012-08-09T18:38:39.031-07:002012-08-09T18:38:39.031-07:00Email me the details and we can work it.Email me the details and we can work it.Joel Winghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09611810110771744360noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1953410733493889728.post-84058070585008182432012-08-09T18:22:44.613-07:002012-08-09T18:22:44.613-07:00what if somebody translates this interview to anot...what if somebody translates this interview to another language, would that be ok with you?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1953410733493889728.post-89282868009099814332012-08-09T13:47:36.297-07:002012-08-09T13:47:36.297-07:00Yes all the written material on the blog is done b...Yes all the written material on the blog is done by me.Joel Winghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09611810110771744360noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1953410733493889728.post-65279094076817619522012-08-09T13:26:49.139-07:002012-08-09T13:26:49.139-07:00Joel, did you interview Denise, yourself?Joel, did you interview Denise, yourself?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1953410733493889728.post-31165558686795649352012-08-08T06:51:56.597-07:002012-08-08T06:51:56.597-07:00Here's some rough economic numbers I have for ...Here's some rough economic numbers I have for the KRG.<br /><br />The Kurds contributed 5% of less to the national budget, and get around 10% in return. That portion of the national budget funds 95% of the KRG budget. That makes Kurdistan like the rest of Iraq dependent upon southern oil. <br /><br />The government is the largest employer in Kurdistan. Employs 22% of population, 60% of full time work, and an even larger portion get government pensions. <br /><br />The economy of the Kurdish region is based largely upon imports, and those imports are largely bought with government funds. <br /><br />You brought up the Kirkuk field, that is the oldest in the country and its production has seen huge declines in recent years. It needs massive investment and renovation, and even then does not compete with the oil in southern Iraq. You would also need Turkey to agree to export that oil and it has not shown any inclination towards that.<br /><br />Basically, if you pull the plug on KRG funding from Baghdad the economy would largely collapse. <br /><br />Again, I don't doubt the desire for independence amongst Kurds. It is just economically unfeasible right now without an independent source of income.Joel Winghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09611810110771744360noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1953410733493889728.post-65983539023724995052012-08-08T02:10:11.977-07:002012-08-08T02:10:11.977-07:00to me,a 27 year Kurdish, not only myself but i can...to me,a 27 year Kurdish, not only myself but i cant find a friend of mine in Kurdistan who cares about Iraq and calls himself Iraqi, the fundamental and the ideology is fixed, we are Kurdish from Kurdistan. so focus on politic aspect of independence not the nationalist ideology of Kurdish people. i agree we have a high rate of public sector, but not more than Iraqi counterpart. Kurds have learned from history all kind of challenges, i guess budget cut will be hard, but Baghdad cant do that, think about Kirkuk's oil, which will be under control of Peshmarga within 24 hours.that looks more like Kurdistan cuts Iraq's budget not the other way.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1953410733493889728.post-52787244264960823752012-08-07T23:27:30.372-07:002012-08-07T23:27:30.372-07:00To me, it seems like the younger generation wouldn...To me, it seems like the younger generation wouldn't mind independence, but the leadership is much more conservative.<br /><br />Not only that, but I tend to agree with Dr. Natali. Until the KRG can gain its own income, it can't declare independence. The national budget from Baghdad accounts for 95% of the KRG's budget. Kurdish oil is not going to be able to provide that kind of money unless Turkey agrees to independent pipelines, and it has refused to do so, and I don't think it will anytime soon either. <br /><br />Kurdistan has a larger public sector than the central government, so while there may be a will in the KRG for independence, there's not the means right now.Joel Winghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09611810110771744360noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1953410733493889728.post-84823951195460545662012-08-07T22:33:46.814-07:002012-08-07T22:33:46.814-07:00Joel, hate is something very obvious in the articl...Joel, hate is something very obvious in the article and let me not go into that discussion, myself one of those people who voted for change list, i can assure you that, its the normal and the healthy way of complaining, the critics on public services and other internal affairs (protests and opposition in parliament) look at demonstrations in middle east's first democratic country "Israel". regarding national issues with all foreign forces, the opposition and the ruling parties are on the same line, and i think that's what defines the future of Kurdistan and its people. one more thing the interviewed guy forgot, is people's right of self determination. 95% of people in Kurdistan, with all kind of nationalities, are with an independent Kurdistan, which means readiness to give sacrifices once more.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1953410733493889728.post-69473499350223463562012-08-07T14:48:06.204-07:002012-08-07T14:48:06.204-07:00Anon,
You're entitled to your opinion and to ...Anon,<br /><br />You're entitled to your opinion and to disagree with the interview. If your argument is right however, then Kurdistan must be full of self-hatred. The reason why people protested for months in Sulaymaniya were because of the ruling parties and corruption. The reason why the Change List was formed was dissatisfaction with the PUK and corruption. The opposition parties in the Kurdish parliament have also brought up the lack of transparency over the region's oil deals. There are plenty of other examples or is your point that anyone that brings up these issues hates the Kurds?Joel Winghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09611810110771744360noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1953410733493889728.post-74334793286351079822012-08-07T14:24:38.592-07:002012-08-07T14:24:38.592-07:00hhh, really unilateral point of view, Kurdistan is...hhh, really unilateral point of view, Kurdistan is not that hell of problems you are talking about.<br />indpendence, corruption, ruling parties relations, pipelines and almost all of your analysis were based on hate towards Kurds in general, you concluded it with your "No" in last question's answer. you forgot Syrian Kurdistan affect, Israel affairs, Europe's and even turkey's energy needs, russia and USA plays.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1953410733493889728.post-73936307613530540162012-08-07T11:33:49.026-07:002012-08-07T11:33:49.026-07:00Unfortunately, the political disputes are obscurin...Unfortunately, the political disputes are obscuring the common interest.Joel Winghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09611810110771744360noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1953410733493889728.post-61501870731862477892012-08-07T10:57:22.985-07:002012-08-07T10:57:22.985-07:00Great interview. Very informative.
Confirms the o...Great interview. Very informative.<br /><br />Confirms the ongoing problems with the independence scenario. Oil, its distribution, and benefits allocations have broader relevance than to KRG alone, and external factors (neighbor issues) are equally important.<br /><br />Sub-text: Even KRG has an interest in Iraq's stability and integrity, despite legitimate and significant issues between the two.Steve Donnelly, AICPhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11707306512563808960noreply@blogger.com