F

The Iraqi government is taking back Kirkuk; an ethnically-mixed city legally part of Iraq proper that was seized by the Kurds after the Iraqi army collapsed during the ISIS offensive of 2014.

The Iraqis won't march on Iraqi Kurdistan, let alone Erbil

NPR had the governor/mayor whatever of Kirkuk interviewed on the air with them a few weeks ago and he basically admitted that Kirkuk was mixed and that it has a large population of Arabs and Turkmen but tried to justify not allowing their vote because they were settled their under the Baathists in the 50s and 60s and then again under Saddam's regime. It was insane to me because it sounded like something the Baathists would do in the first place, "Oh well there are people whose votes will stop-gap our attempts to make a separate state so we are going to not count them as legal voters if they disagree with us."

I think the geopolitical aspects of the current state of the Levant are relevant to historical discussion. The seeds of chaos and destabilization currently sprouting in the region were planted as far back as the Ottoman Empire. The subsequent subjugation of the area by western powers, the creation of Israel, the system of the petro-dollar, and the other instances of post-colonial subversion and constant meddling during and after the cold war have been directly responsible for the wars in Syria, Yemen, and Iraq, as well as the more recent cold war between Islamic Iran and the KSA.

The U.S. and Europe (and Israel) are very happy when there's an oil-rich or geographically strategic Arab nation in trouble with terrorists, revolutionaries, political crises, or ethnic strife. That means said dictator(s) need fast cash from the west in order to bring their nations to heel. "Really? You just busted up that group of heavily armed socialist rebels, and just like that you already need to quell a group of heavily armed jihadi rebels? My, I wonder who would continually fund these never ending streams of radical guerillas and anti-government riots?" :^) "This world is quite rude." "Yet as great friends of the US state department and the eurozone, of course we'll gladly acommodate your need for a quick $20 Billion loan again, Generalissimo Rashid Al-Tidbits Mahzrhouni McPikel." Sure, sure, we'll even throw in some f-16s, MANPADS, an armored division, a mechanized infantry division, a squadron of helicopter gunships, and even a CIA/Delta team/Green Beret military training and advisory package.
In return, it would be a great boon to us, your very loyal friends, if you'd give privileges to our energy companies. Also you need to sell us your oil in this currency at this price at this level of production for a standard 50 year or to the end of your regime contract, whichever comes first. See you at your Coup/UN sanctioned invasion!

The US is the patron of the KRG (aka Iraqi Kurdistan) as well as the Shia-led Iraqi government out of Baghdad (which also has significant Iranian influence).

The US warned the KRG not to hold a (non-binding) independence referendum but they chose to anyway. My guess is that the Americans gave the Iraqi government their blessing to take back Kirkuk but go no further.

Iran, Turkey, Assad's Syria, and Iraq, whatever other differences they have between them, all have a vested interest in opposing Kurdish independence in any of their respective territories and will likely cooperate with each other to prevent that from happening.

no, only 30% of the census participated and people voted over 4 times. Also no one died in catalonia.

Kek. The Kurds won't just go down without a fight.

This whole shtick might be a propaganda move. Not immediately resisting is good for international recognition.

I really doubt the Iraqi Army will have such an easy time pushing into Kirkuk proper if a few thousand well entrenched Peshmerga start resisting.

...

Are will living in the year of failed revolutions and memes?
First catalonia and now kurdistan

This thing will be won with public relations. If the Kurds manage to appear as defenders they have basically won.

Kirkuk was taken already

The government building. They don't have the whole town.

It would be very interesting to see anothee nation in the ME

iraq.liveuamap.com/en/2017/16-october-the-iraqi-army-has-completely-controlled-kirkuk

The k*rd is a subhuman being and must be exterminated

So now they wont get their independence?

Commies are loosing a battle without even fighting
this is next level shit

Kirkuk is just one large city that was under the control of the Iraqi Kurds. Their capital in Iraq is Erbil. Still their independence likely won't be recognized anyway and its possible that the Iraqi government occupies the whole of the territories currently held by Kurds.