War against Islamic State Opens New Horizon for Kurds in Syria and Iraq

Arab nationalism is more palpable in the Islamic State than it was in al-Qaeda: IS has proven this in its war with the Kurds, both in words and deeds and in Iraqi Kurdistan and Syrian Kurdistan (Rojava).

But this conflict has somehow turned in favor of the Kurds, because it has changed into a global war against the Islamic State. True, Kurdistan is not a sovereign state; but it is to a degree treated as such. Kurdistan is spearheading the war against the Islamic State, and all Kurds are united in their opposition to the radical group, even more so than the populations of some European countries.

IS does not have the same sympathy and support among the Kurdish people that it has in Iraq’s Sunni areas and some Arab countries.

The Kurds have been fighting for their land for many years, especially in Iraq, and IS acted worse against the Kurds than it did against Iraq’s Shiite army. However, in this war the Kurds have huge international support in their fight.

This war is significant for the Kurds in three aspects: they get to defend their territory and their borders; they are keeping the threat of terrorism at bay; and they are now part of a global war on terrorism.

This time around the Kurds will not invite the usual criticism from Turkey and Iran. That is because, by fighting the IS, the Kurds are also protecting the borders of Iran and Turkey.

In addition, the massacres perpetrated by IS against the Kurds gives the Kurds the right to fight this extremist group without hesitation.

Meanwhile, the Kurds joined the Iraqi government with a set of preconditions that helped the Obama administration save face. And, it gives the Kurds the chance to withdraw from that commitment without blame, if their demands are not met.

The global coalition against IS shows the Kurdistan Region in good light: it treats the Kurds as indispensible partners, much different from Iraq. The quick US response against IS also proved Kurdistan’s weight and significance, both diplomatically and politically.

Meanwhile, Obama’s promise to expand the war against IS beyond Iraq’s borders and into Syria presents the Rojava Kurds with a great opportunity: it gives them a chance to become part of the world coalition against IS. Politically, this partnership is significant for the Kurds of Syria.  Militarily, it is good for the Kurds as a whole.

Turkey and other Syrian opposition groups will join the anti-IS coalition only if Washington decides to topple the regime of Bashar al-Assad.  But the Kurds do not have such a condition. To them, what matters most is to expand and preserve the freedom and autonomy they have achieved in the past three years.

Rojava’s participation in this coalition is a great opportunity for the Syrian Kurds to come out of isolation.