Why wouldn’t Britain arm the Kurds? We’ve armed everybody else in the Middle East!

War profiteer: David Cameron loves selling weaponry to foreign countries. Only a couple of years ago he was flogging Typhoon jet fighters to Iraq's neighbours.

War profiteer: David Cameron loves selling weaponry to foreign countries. Only a couple of years ago he was flogging Typhoon jet fighters to Iraq’s neighbours.

It seems the latest Iraq conflict is all about the money.

According to the new Foreign Secretary, Philip Hammond, the UK would “consider favourably” any request for arms from the Kurds in their battle with the extremist militant group Islamic State.

How wonderful for them. Last time anyone asked them, it seemed all these people wanted to do was get out.

They didn’t say they wanted weapons – especially not those supplied at inevitably huge cost by British war profiteers. Maybe the UK is saying no decision will be made on whether to give weapons as gifts or sell them, but consider Britain’s own financial situation. Is this an opportunity to put the Kurds in debt to the British government? If so, how would it be paid? By allowing British industry into their country afterwards, to exploit their people?

That might be better than what IS has to offer, but let’s be honest – last time anyone asked them, it seemed all these people wanted to do was get out.

Mr Hammond has also said, “Iraq now needs to have an inclusive government representing all the people of Iraq so that we can get behind it and push back this terrible threat from IS,” so he doesn’t understand the situation at all.

Iraq was an artificial country from the get-go. Its borders were drawn up by Western world leaders who did not understand the political situation between the indigenous peoples (and didn’t care). It is falling apart now and, for the sake of the future, this is probably just as well. While the threat from IS needs to be remedied, let the borders rearrange themselves in a more sympathetic manner once the dust has settled, otherwise other problems will arise soon.

After all, last time anyone asked them, it seemed all the Kurds wanted to do was get out.

Follow me on Twitter: @MidWalesMike

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2 Comments

  1. Something from history seems to have an international community not wanting a united Kurdistan as a single nation. I recall passing the TV some years ago and a Kurd turning back to camera and saying something similar to they won’t let us have a nation.

    Well this is the problem with politicians. Nations being independent around ethnicity seem to be something they cannot comprehend. Perhaps because Empire only ended just before the kids were born of the Wartime generation that were children of the Empire age.

    We have many nations in Europe wanting to go back to their ethnic roots.

    With us the Scots not wanting to be ruled by a Tory government that never wins in Scotland, and saving a fair few lives by so doing forever into the future.

    Why cannot Labour see that?

  2. Stephen Paul Tamblin August 16, 2014 at 6:06 pm - Reply

    That is why England are getting everyone in trouble wye are we over there it is sod all to do with camoron or Obama thay all ways stick there noses were it is not wanted

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