This Is Not the Time for an Independent Kurdistan

Apr 22, 2016 | Dov Friedman
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Many have wondered when Iraqi Kurdistan, which already enjoys broad autonomy from Baghdad, might finally declare independence. The present moment doesn’t seem particularly auspicious for a separation: War with the Islamic State, low oil prices, sclerotic governance, and near-bankruptcy have caused political and economic turmoil as severe as any that Kurdistan has faced over the last decade. Nevertheless, for some months now, Masoud Barzani, the president of the region (which is also known as the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, or KRI), has been pushing for outright independence. Since late last year, he has directed his Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) to work with its political counterparts to prepare for a referendum on the question.