Kurds in Iraq

Category: Genocide`

The Kurds are an ethnic group spread throughout the Middle East. The Kurds are considered a non-Arabic group, with their own language and culture despite being stateless. Most Kurds are Sunni-Muslims and live in mountainous regions near the borders of Turkey, Iraq, Armenia and Syria. During the early 20th century Kurds began to consider nationalism and wanted a Kurdish state. During the 1920 Treaty of Serves the Kurds were promised a state of Kurdistan, however the allied forces went back on their promise. Kurds in Turkey and Iran were heavily discriminated against. After the second World War, Kurds in Iran were able to establish the first Kurdish state, the Kurdish Republic of Mahabad. However, Iran quickly crushed this state, but Kurds continued to desire independence. In 1946 one of the largest and most radical Kurdish independence groups was formed. Kurdish Rebels continued to fight for Kurdish independence, thusly in the Iran-Iraq war, Kurds sided with Iran. They hoped if Iran defeated Iraq they would finally be able to establish more Kurdish run state.
During the Iran-Iraq war, Hussein, began a campaign against the Kurds in the countryside known as al-Anfanl Campaign, (also known as Operation Anfal) under the pretence that he was eliminating the enemy Kurdish rebels. As the Iran-Iraq war continued it became increasingly clear to the outside world that Hussein was not merely eliminating Kurdish Rebels.

In 2004, the special Iraqi court attempted to try Hussein with the death of 50,000 Kurdish civilians, however many sources believe that over 180,000 thousand individuals died in the Anfal.

Aftermath: There wasn't any repercussions against any of the governmental officials until late in 2005, after the fall of Saddam Hussein's regime. Hussein had always maintained that if any harm was done to the Kurds, the affected population was low. Hussein was convicted in late 2006 and executed by hanging for his role in the Dujail massacre, but his trial for the Anfal campaign was in progress during this time. This co-defendants, Ali Hassan al-Majid and two others were convicted of genocide and also convicted to death.
The Kurdish population is still suffering today, with many of the men still missing and children suffering from birth defects like cleft palettes, affects from the poison gases. Currently, investigators are still finding mass graves all over the country.

After Thoughts...
I believe that if the public was aware of how deep the US was involved in the Iraq, the war in Iraq now would have been scrutinized moreso before we entered. In hindsight, it's difficult to justify the support we had for Iraq and Hussein, and I believe that just having the public educated on it's recent international history is important to prevent such travesties again.