Mr. President: Kurdish Independence can not be granted by our enemies

Kurdishaspect.com - By Ardalan Hardi

Yaqen News Agency reported that Shimon Peres, the Prime Minister of Israel said, "The establishment of an independent Kurdish state in Iraq is a matter for the Iraqis themselves to decide. But I can say that the implementation of a federal system is the best way to solve the problems besetting Iraq today."

In response president Jalal Talabani said, "Unfortunately it is not possible for the Kurds in Iraq to declare independence because neighboring countries are not agreeable to that." Talabani said that therefore the best thing is to remain in current status of a federation under which the Kurds can rule themselves in the north and participate in governing the other parts of Iraq.

Dear Mr. President if Jewish people would have waited for their neighboring countries to grant them permission to declare independence, Israel would not exist today. In fact even today Israel is not fully recognized by its Arab neighbors. The Israeli leaders had the vision and the courage to fight against great odds for what was in the best interest of their people and after many sacrifices they achieved their ultimate goal of Independence. Are we less than them?

Mr. President Independence is a legal right that we as Kurds are entitled to just like any other nation that lives on this planet and independence is inevitable. No leader or political organization has the right to speak on behalf of the future generations of Kurdistan when it comes to our legitimate right to be free. I respectfully disagree with your view Mr. President. Freedom is not turkey dinner served to us on a platter. Historically, freedom is not something that is given, but a moral right that is earned. One of the greatest leaders of our times Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. said “Freedom is never voluntarily given by the oppressor; it must be demanded by the oppressed."

I can understand that you feel the time is not right to claim Kurdistan’s Independence in todays political climax in Iraq. The inability to declare Kurdish independence during this most opportune time in history is because our leaders have failed to prepare us and unite us under one umbrella.

Mr. President you are correct, if we wait for our neighboring enemies to grant us independence it will never happen.

"Freedom is not a gift bestowed upon us by other men, but a right that belongs to us by the laws of God and nature." Benjamin Franklin