[jim_trent]

I say, good deal. The Kurds seem to be the only Arabs (Muslims?) who can govern themselves without returning to savage tribalism. The only question I have is: How did they get to be the "Jews" of the Arab world, with all the other Arabs wanting to kill them? From what I have read, they seem to have many desirable traits.

[xm177e2]

They get to be kicked around because of geography, not by any fault of their own. Kurdistan is very important region strategically. The Turks control a big chunk of it, giving them control over the Tigris and Euphrates. And there is a significant amount of oil in Iraqi Kurdistan.

They just can't stand against the Arab juggernaut all alone. They never had a chance.

[sheik yerbouty]

Kurds are definately not Arabs.

[July 4th]

Kurds are Kurds, not Arabs, but are for the most part Muslim. Just like the Iranians are not Arabs either - they're Muslim Persians. (There were a fair amount of Jewish Iranians too, but just like Iraq, they fled or were killed.)