KURDISH INSURGENCY IN IRAQ (FROM POLITICAL VIOLENCE AND INSURGENCY - A COMPARATIVE APPROACH, 1974, BY BARD E O'NEILL ET AL - SEE NCJ-63408)

• NCJ Number: 63415
• Author(s): P R VIOTTI
• Date Published: 1974
• Length: 31 pages
• Corporate Author: Phoenix Press
• Publication Format: Document
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

AN EVALUATION OF THE KURDISH REFORMIST INSURGENCY IN IRAQ IS MADE ACCORDING TO FIVE STRATEGIC VARIABLES: GOVERNMENT RESPONSE, ENVIRONMENT, EXTERNAL SUPPORT, ORGANIZATION, AND POPULAR SUPPORT.

Abstract

THE REFORMIST INSURGENCY IN IRAQ IS EVALUATED ACCORDING TO FIVE MAJOR STRATEGIC VARIABLES DEVELOPED AS PART OF A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF INSURGENCIES. THE KURDISH INSURGENCY IS DESCRIBED IN RELATION TO THE HISTORY OF THE KURDISH PEOPLE IN THE AREA, THEIR ETHNIC DIFFERENCE FROM ARABS, AND THEIR POLITICAL CLAIMS. A GENERAL HISTORY OF THE KURDISH REBELLION PRECEDES THE EVALUATION. THE INSURGENCY IN IRAQ, A LONG-TERM STRUGGLE FOR CONTROL OF KURDISH-INHABITED TERRITORY, IS A CONTEST BETWEEN THE BAATHIST GOVERNMENT IN BAGHDAD AND THE KURDS, WHO FOLLOW AN AGING LEADER. THE GOAL OF THE KURDS IS TO HAVE AN AUTONOMOUS KURDISH STATE, BUT CONCESSIONS HAVE BEEN MADE BY THE KURDISH LEADERSHIP. THE MOVEMENT IS ORGANIZED, WITH WIDESPREAD PARTICIPATION BY KURDS IN IRAQ AND ALONG THE IRANIAN BORDER. EXTERNAL SUPPORT IS THE WEAKEST LINK, ALTHOUGH IRAN SUPPLIES SOME AID. THE IRAQI GOVERNMENT HAS BEEN UNSUCCESSFUL IN ITS ATTEMPTS TO EXTEND CONTROL INTO CONTESTED AREAS, NOR HAS THERE BEEN ANY REAL ATTEMPT TO UNDERCUT THE APPEAL OF THE INSURGENCY BY ELIMINATING THE GRIEVANCES OF THE PEOPLE. FOOTNOTES AND A SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY COMPLETE THE TEXT. (RFC)