"Out Of Syria And Iraq ... 4 New Countries?" Topic

Is anyone really working on a partitioning of Syria and Iraq along religious and cultural lines? Or is that just a pipe dream?

Here are just a couple of the maps I've come across:

link

And, if a 4-way partition did indeed happen, what would their military forces look like? How big would each military be? Where would each get most of their equipment? How would they differ in the field?

Dan

Move Iran's borders a lot further west, if you are going to draw up a Shiite State.
Although I do wonder if all is forgiven or forgotten since the Iran Iraq War not that long ago. I forget. Who were the Good Guys then?

Would Turkey (or Iran for that matter) tolerate a Kurdistan?

I blame the bunch of happy drunkards who drew up the maps at Versailles.

Winston

If this map is correct, it looks like the old Ottoman Turks may have had a similar idea, at least for Iraq.

link

"Would Turkey (or Iran for that matter) tolerate a Kurdistan?"

I seriously doubt it. They would fight it tooth and nail. The last thing they want these days would be to give the Kurds any legitimacy.

Dan
PS. And yes, there must have been a lot of booze flowing at Versailles.

Where to fit this?
link
if I understood well what a man from Syria told me, the place works along libertarian/anarchistic principles.

Nevals

Hmm. Looking at the other maps in that link, it clearly started as part of the Kurdish separatist movement in the far Northeastern corner of Syria.

About the DFNS (Rojava), also from that link: "The region gained its de facto autonomy in 2012"

Interesting language. So, it's basically saying that exists until someone notices it and actually does something about it, specially if Turkey is continued to go about as it pleases, using ISIS as an excuse to hunt down the Kurds back and forth across borders?

Now that the DFNS have extended themselves far into non-Kurdish areas, Turkey will probably claim that it is fighting them on behalf of all other Syrians, as their grand champion. I would be extremely shocked if Erdogan ever let's go of the areas he "liberates" from the DFNS. :)

Dan

The Shiites in eastern Iraq are Arabs. The Iranians are Persians. To place a big population of Arabs into Iran is a recipe for exactly the kind of internecine conflict such a dividing of the pie is designed to end.

Although I am sure the Iranians would love to make such a state a satellite/ally.

Pan Marek

I can't believe it, but I finally agree with you on something.

And, as Winston said, they might not be in a forgiving mood just yet.

Dan

The Shi'ite portion of Iraq would more likely become a satellite state of Iran, close military co-operation and controlled dealings with others.
Playing 'real politik', the Iranians may support, or at least not oppose, a Kurdish state just to counter Turkish influence in the region.At the very least it would focus the Turks and distract them!
Would the Sunni Iraqis and Syrians unify? Are they linked ethnically and tribally…..I wonder how strong their modern national identity is to counter their roots.
It appears that only the Alawites lose out, less territory and a similar geographical problem to Israel with little room to manoeuvre!

I can't see a Kurdistan happening, because part of the historical Kurdish lands are in modern Turkey.

Those drunken frackwits in Versailles really screwed up partitioning the former Ottoman Empire.

I would have split the entire area along tribal lines, and set up friendly/puppet leaders.