With about 40 million people, the Kurds are the largest ethnic group without their own state, but why? The Kurds' settlement area spans many countries, but most of them live in Turkey, Iraq, Syria, and Iran. A Kurdistan encompassing most of this population would stretch across many states and take up large portions of their territory, and that's where we come to our problem because none of these states have any interest in giving up territory. Turkey, for example, could lose up to 18% of its population, a huge chunk of land, and the resources that go with it.
And since Kurdistan would span so many states, it is in the interest of all these states not to allow a Kurdish independence movement. Because once it establishes itself in one country, it could spread to other countries. For this reason, Turkey is fighting Kurdish forces even outside its borders, because it wants to prevent a Kurdish state that could eventually lay claim to much of Turkey's current territory.
Thus, a modern Kurdish state is unlikely to emerge any time soon, although it should be said that Kurds in northern Iraq do enjoy some autonomy.
30 сен 2024
