Turkey’s president Recep Tayyip Erdogan (L) and Iraqi Kurdistan Democratic Party KDP leader Massoud Barzani attend a ceremony in Diyarbakir,

Turkey’s president Recep Tayyip Erdogan (L) and Iraqi Kurdistan Democratic Party KDP leader Massoud Barzani attend a ceremony in Diyarbakir, 

An Artist’s Nightmare

Most artist’s creations are based on what inspires them, their visions and their dreams. Recently, a nightmare flashed through my dreams.

In all my writings I have always pointed out that our worst enemy, the Turks want to wipe out our Kurdish identity and control our land. A few years ago the Turks supported the Islamic states in order to control Kurdistan of Iraq and Syria. Fortunately they failed due to the Kurdish people’s determination. The Arab Spring left Egypt more authoritarian than ever and pushed Syria, Libya and Yemen into a tide of extreme violence.

The Cold War continued between the two superpowers. Hillary Clinton’s criticism of Putin’s dictatorial approach in the Ukraine continued along with the US’ fear of Putin’s invasion of Eastern Europe. Putin, the top KGB man plotted the downfall of Clinton before the election in favor of Donald Trump. Trump is a controlling and self-centered man is quite ignorant of how our government and American Constitution works. Once elected, Trump turned the American system upside down.

From this dark trend Mr. Erdogan, president of Turkey decided to become a dictator and get rid of all his opponents and destroy the Kurdish aspirations for their rights. As long as United States and their NATO allies can use the Incirlik military base in Turkey they will not interfere with whatever Erdogan wants to do, especially after the Kurds liberate Raqqa and the surrounding cities from ISIL. Mr. PutIn, supports Erdogan as long as he does not interfere with Assad’s regime.

Meanwhile, Iraq and Syria are not in any position to counter Erdogan. The Sunni dictator of Saudi Arabia will support the Turkish dictator all the way. In Syria Erdogan has created a corridor that goes from the Turkish border by controlling the city of Jarablus and allowing ISIL fighters to come and go through the Turkish border. The Turks forced the YPG to leave Manbij without any objections from the US. It was US’ strategy to help YPG to push the Islamic state out of Manbij. From Jarabulus the Turkish military, backed by the Turkish extremists and Sunni Arab militant and Islamic states in the Euphrates Shield bombed the YPG and tried to control the Afrin Canton.

In Iraq, the KRG has depended on the Turks for their food and industrial materials. The KRG’s only economic resources, i.e.,oil, has pipelines going through Turkey. The Turkish control of the KRG puts the KRG’s economy in a dire situation. Don’t blame the Kurds from Shaqlawa to Sulaimani to sell their land for food. It’s called a Legal Arabization. If Mr.Barzani wants to be the first leader to liberate Kurdistan of Iraq unfortunately, it is a wrong time. The definition of independence is that one is not to depend on another’s authority. I takes into account free thinking and not depending on another for livelihood or substance. To be self-sufficient, one needs to be able to stand on one’s own 2 feet.

A few years ago I was having breakfast with my sister in Sulaimani. She offered fresh bread, yogurt and honey and I was very excited. A good friend brought the yogurt from Mawat and it was delicious. The bread had no taste. It was from the United Nations distribution. The UN is discouraging our farmers from growing our own wheat, which makes the bread so much tastier. The honey was also tasteless and when I looked at the label it was imported from Saudi Arabia. I realize that everything was imported from Turkey, Iran, Saudi Arabia and elsewhere. The Kurdish products do not compete with the cheap imports. So you could see we are completely depending on our enemies for everything.

Erdogan pressured the KRG to put the Kurds against Kurds from Sinjar to Afrin. Erdogan is opening another corridor from Slopi to Mosul and from Mosul to Hasaka.

Erdogan has thousands of troops and tanks ready just north of Mosul. Barzani and the KRG want to talk to Baghdad about the Kurdish independence after the liberation of Mosul. Obadi might not mind that with a few exceptions. Afterall, Baghdad has no control over KRG. This is exactly what Erdogan wants. As soon as Barzani declares independence Erdogan will bring his military forces to Sulaimani, Kirkuk and Erbil to protect their tens of thousands of Turkish contractors and other interests. Turkey makes tens of billions of dollars annually from Kurdistan of Iraq. Erdogan’s objective is to force the KRG to use the Peshmerga against the YPG in Rojava and the PKK in the Qandil mountains as well as in southern Kurdistan of Turkey and in Sinjar.

I cannot imagine the bloodshed that will follow if the Peshmerga forces try to counter the Turkish military. This is the most crucial time for the Kurds to make the right decision in the history of Kurdistan. My prayer is for the Kurds to recognize the Turkish game plan and be united amongst themselves and be self-sufficient. The Kurdish independence is a dream of every Kurd. It is very important to avoid the nightmare of being a victim of the Erdogan Empire!

Zuhdi Sardar, a Kurdish senior writer, artist and author, for more see below.

Read more about Independent Kurdistan state

The views expressed in this article are the author’s own.

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