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Born at the Crest of the Empire

Wednesday, February 07, 2007

"Forcible relocation" by the Iraqi government.

The Iraqi/Shia government appears to be dealing Kirkuk to the Kurds in order to buy their cooperation. The Sunnis are the ones paying the cost.
An Iraqi government committee has decided to relocate tens of thousands of Arabs currently living in the oil-rich northern city of Kirkuk.

The Iraqi Higher Committee for the Normalization of Kirkuk ruled that Arabs descended from those who moved to the city after 1957 would be returned to their original home towns and given compensation.

I know about Saddam's "Arabization," but forcibly ejecting tens of thousands who have lived there for 50 years..... It's government ordered "cleansing." (Of every male under 50.)

(And where exactly are they supposed to go?)

Later: Slightly different version here, and wasn't the fate of Kirkuk supposed to be decided by a parliamentary referendum in late 2007?

3 Comments:

  • (And where exactly are they supposed to go?)

    Crawford, Texas?

    By Blogger -epm, at 2:11 PM  

  • To the friendly confines of al Anbar, and the salafist insurgency -- of course! Meanwhile, we've got tens of thousands of troops conducting patrols in Baghdad to provide cover for all populations (read: Shiite) while this relocation and referendum happens.

    Don't be so surprised that Iran's Kurdish allies are being helped by Iran's Shiite Arab allies.

    By Blogger Bravo 2-1, at 2:36 PM  

  • EPM, There was that article about the economy in Crawford suffering, so, maybe you're on to something.

    .....

    Copy, True. They could head to such wonderful vacation spots like Ramadi or Fallujah.

    And, I'm not surprised at all about the Kurds and Shia working jointly with Iran. That's what those Iranians arrested in Irbil were working on.

    It's the natural alliance, and the Iranians can buy peace with their Kurdish problem by helping them in their conflict with Turkey.

    Say what you want, Iran has played a very good game.

    Mike

    By Blogger mikevotes, at 2:42 PM  

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