Attention in the USA is focused right now on the NFL players, the aftermath of the hurricanes, and the healthcare bill in the senate. To a lesser extent, there is attention being given to the North Koreans. It's strange how little American media has mentioned two elections that are happening today and tomorrow which are extremely important stories.
The first vote, of course, is the German national election. Chancellor Angela Merkel is likely to see her CDU party win the biggest share of the vote although the expectation is that the party won't get enough seats to hold a majority in the parliament. That may seem like there will be no big changes in Germany, but that is not true. The real question is with which party or parties the CDU will form a coalition. Right now, Merkel is in coalition with the Socialists who are the second biggest party. That could repeat, although depending on the results, the CDU could move back into a coalition with the Free Democrats who are pro-business. There could also be a coalition with the Green Party whose focus centers on the environment. These would lead to big changes in all sorts of German policies. As the strongest country in the European Union, Germany will affect much more than just itself.
The second vote is one that has gotten essentially no coverage in American media. A referendum is being held in the Kurdish areas of Iraq concerning establishment of an independent Kurdistan. There are tens of millions of Kurds in Iraq, Syria, Turkey and Iran. They form perhaps the biggest ethnic group in the world without its own state. The lack of an independent Kurdistan is the result of British and French imperial designs on the Middle East after World War I. The lines were drawn to satisfy London and Paris and not the locals. Now, the Kurds are seeking their own state.
Over the recent past, the USA has had few friends in the Middle East who have been as dependable and friendly as the Kurds. The single biggest force confronting ISIS over the last few years has been the Kurdish militia, called the peshmerga. Thousands of Kurds have given their lives or been wounded in that battle. During the Iraq War, the only region of Iraq in which American forces did not have to fight and die was the Kurdish area. After all this help from the Kurds, the USA owes them a debt of gratitude and we ought to support them in their effort to gain independence. An independent Kurdistan could be an anchor for peace in the region.
We will have to see if the Kurds vote in favor of independence as expected. If they do, let's hope that President Trump recognizes the American debt to these brave people.
The first vote, of course, is the German national election. Chancellor Angela Merkel is likely to see her CDU party win the biggest share of the vote although the expectation is that the party won't get enough seats to hold a majority in the parliament. That may seem like there will be no big changes in Germany, but that is not true. The real question is with which party or parties the CDU will form a coalition. Right now, Merkel is in coalition with the Socialists who are the second biggest party. That could repeat, although depending on the results, the CDU could move back into a coalition with the Free Democrats who are pro-business. There could also be a coalition with the Green Party whose focus centers on the environment. These would lead to big changes in all sorts of German policies. As the strongest country in the European Union, Germany will affect much more than just itself.
The second vote is one that has gotten essentially no coverage in American media. A referendum is being held in the Kurdish areas of Iraq concerning establishment of an independent Kurdistan. There are tens of millions of Kurds in Iraq, Syria, Turkey and Iran. They form perhaps the biggest ethnic group in the world without its own state. The lack of an independent Kurdistan is the result of British and French imperial designs on the Middle East after World War I. The lines were drawn to satisfy London and Paris and not the locals. Now, the Kurds are seeking their own state.
Over the recent past, the USA has had few friends in the Middle East who have been as dependable and friendly as the Kurds. The single biggest force confronting ISIS over the last few years has been the Kurdish militia, called the peshmerga. Thousands of Kurds have given their lives or been wounded in that battle. During the Iraq War, the only region of Iraq in which American forces did not have to fight and die was the Kurdish area. After all this help from the Kurds, the USA owes them a debt of gratitude and we ought to support them in their effort to gain independence. An independent Kurdistan could be an anchor for peace in the region.
We will have to see if the Kurds vote in favor of independence as expected. If they do, let's hope that President Trump recognizes the American debt to these brave people.
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