Keywords

Kurds

Politics

That the Kurds are unhappy about being sidelined in the new Iraq is not news. That there is ethnic clensing” of Arabs in areas that were cleansed” of Kurds under Sadaam is not news. But that Pentagon officials ignored high level advice from a former U.S. ambassador to institute a plan to officially handle property claims, only to do implement such a system in a half hearted manner at this late stage in the game — that’s news. You had to read pretty far into the lead N.Y. Times article to find it, so here it is:

Peter W. Galbraith, a former United States ambassador, who has advised the Kurdish leadership, said he recommended a claim system for Kurds and Arabs to Pentagon officials in late 2002. Nothing was put in place on the ground until last month, he said, long after the Kurds began to move south of the Green Line.

The C.P.A. adopted a sensible idea, but it required rapid implementation,” Mr. Galbraith said. They dropped the ball, and facts were created on the ground. Of course people are going to start moving. …”

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