Political Crisis in Iraq
Kurdish President Massoud Barzani today demanded that Iraqi Prime
Minister Nouri Al Maliki and the country’s Shia leaders agree on sharing power
with their political opponents by September or else the Kurds would consider
breaking away from the Iraqi central government.
This is the second time in as many months that Barzani is strongly
hinting at declaring independence for Iraqi Kurdistan because of what he terms
as “dictatorship and authoritarian rule” by Maliki.
“What threatens the unity of Iraq is dictatorship and authoritarian
rule,” Barzani said in an interview with AP. “If Iraq heads toward a democratic
state, then there will be no trouble. But if Iraq heads toward a dictatorial
state, then we will not be able to live with dictatorship” [AP, 25 April].
Barzani called the political crisis in the country “very dangerous” and
said the impasse must be broken by September, when voters in the Kurdish region
may consider a referendum for a state independent of Iraq.
“They have to decide if they are willing to accept to live under a
dictatorial regime or not,” Barzani said. “They have to make that decision. It
is their natural right.”
