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Since the announcement of the plan for a referendum in the Kurdistan Region to decide whether to stay with Iraq or leave and build an independent state some worry that such a project would lead to the establishment of a dictatorial state.

Others have come up with a long list of preconditions to be met before going for a referendum such as writing a fantastic constitution, good institutions, strong economic infrastructure and a functioning parliament.

At the end of all their negative comments they say they are not against independence, they are only against referendum especially the one planned for September.

How do they think you can decide on your future if not through a referendum? Also a date has to be set for a referendum whether it is now or ten years from now.

Besides, their concerns and fears are misplaced. They worry about a dictatorial Kurdish state as if right now we are part of the most democratic country in the world. They warn of lack of institutions and a constitution and Iraq miserably fails at all of those.

Part of their fear is that one party and one man should not be in charge of the referendum project and that it is a national ambition. But historically and everywhere in the world it has always been one man and one party that have pushed for independence and the rest of the nation follows.

Who cares at this stage what kind of state Kurdistan will be. It would certainly be nice to have a successful democratic state with a strong economy, high standards of living and a useful member of the international community. But right now, the biggest thing is to make sure we successfully separate from Iraq. Then those questions could be addressed.

You cant have your dream state without declaring it first. Also, being part of Iraq for a hundred years has made many Kurds unable to invest in the land. Almost everything, whether it is building a highway or a dam or a family home is put on hold because no one is sure what happens next and when we might face another attack from Iraq or a group like ISIS.

An independent state would finally give people some breathing space and a chance to invest in their own future and that of the country.

If anyone has issues with the political parties here or with corruption or lack of institutions, they will better be able to hold them accountable in an independent state than a de facto region that is neither fully independent nor fully part of Iraq.

In many aspects now, the Kurdistan Region is doing better than Iraq and as an independent state it will do better still.

Tens of years of fighting the Iraqi regime, all the mass graves and sacrifice was for Kurds to be able to have their own country. Now that that chance is upon us there is no excuse not to seize it.

Concerns about corruption, fear of dictatorship, philosophizing or texts from political science books are irrelevant here. It is a simple yet historical project for a people to separate from a country they have never been proud or felt part of.

The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rudaw.

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Let's separate from Iraq first then talk about state-building - Rudaw

KUALA LUMPUR: Another Malaysian Islamic State (IS) fighter, identified as Mohd Nizam Ariffin (pic), has been killed in clashes with security forces in Iraq.

The 38-year-old militant, also known as Abu Afghan, was killed in the city of Mosul on Friday.

Intelligence sources indicated Mohd Nizams death, but no other details were available.

It is learnt that Mohd Nizam appeared in an IS propaganda video in January last year along with fellow militant Abdul Halid Dari.

Identifying themselves as members of Katibah Nusantara (the Malay-speaking wing of IS), the militants called on Katibahs brothers from Somalias al-Shabaab to join the group in the real frontline in Syria.

They spoke in Bahasa Malaysia and urged the al-Shabaab members to join IS.

The Katibah militants also warned the Malaysian Government against thwarting IS terror plots, another source said.

According to other sources, the Ipoh-born Mohd Nizam travelled to Syria on March 6, 2014, and joined the Ajnad al-Sham militant group.

However, after the death of former Kedah PAS Youth information chief Lotfi Ariffin in September 2014, Mohd Nizam joined IS.

It was in IS that he teamed up with other militants from Malaysia and Indonesia in Katibah Nusantara, a source said.

Mohd Nizams death brings the total of Malaysian militants killed in Iraq and Syria to 31, with some 56 others believed to be still at large.

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Another Malaysian militant killed in Iraq - The Star Online

Theliberation of Mosul and the wider Ninevah province from the Islamic State group (ISIS) and its brutal Salafist jihadi doctrine is the subject of many Iraqi conversations. To capitalize on the lessons learned from the bloody three-year battle, Iraqis must take stock of thepolitical process.

Liberation is not a solution in itself and fundamental questions need to be asked: Do Iraqis want a united or divided country (in everything but name)? What is better, a federal system or a confederation? Should there be a state dominated by the center or decentralized provinces with new and broad powers?

Was ISIS occupation of large swaths of Iraqi territory a sufficient warningof the fragility of the country's political system, governance and social cohesion? Or do Iraqis (God forbid) need another horrific wake up call that will lead to the end of Iraq as we know it? Can one say with confidence that Iraqi parties have failed to learn from the lessons of the crisis? Different factions have used the state to service their own narrow interests, taking advantage of the chaos when Iraq faced its greatest existential crisis.

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What are the doses of antibiotics required in the Iraqi body so that terrorism departs for good? This is an urgent question that all Iraqis need to answer. We shouldnt forget that when the liberation of Mosul is complete, the eyes of the international coalition will turn west towards Syria. Iraq is not immune from what is taking place next door. The government, NGOs and the international community must create a new environment in the liberated areas for social justice and work on a new formula for coexistence.

Despite all these challenges, Iraqis have shown the rest of the world that they have the strength of character to develop the countrys social and political fabric. Once Iraq has addressed the grand questions of rule of law, governance, revenue distribution and identity,the focus must then shift to defining a new political culture in Iraq and creating a roadmap for a confederation with the Kurdistan Regional Government, the most viable formula for coexistence with the Kurds.

Read more: The final push for Mosul: 'Matter of time' until ISIS flag falls

Decentralization has to be accelerated, corruption addressed, a population census--long overdue--must be conducted for country-wide planning. Finally, missing legislationmust be voted for, including the long-awaited oil law. It wont be easy, but these are urgent and important moves for the people and future of Iraq.

Governing Iraq after liberation will be the real acid test of Iraqi leadership, especially with the recognition that the state is being weakened from within. The liberation of Mosul must be the start of the nations recovery, otherwise, warlords, camouflaged by different names and fronts, will prevail.

It is important to remember that the presence of ISIS militants in Mosul created a new generation of young supporters, here it is necessary to admit that a new mutation of the group will be no less evil and acts of terrorism will continue, as we saw in the recent bombing attack at the Karada ice cream parlor. The threat has the potential to move inside cities, as well as some areas that remain outside the states authority. Let us not allow the liberation of Mosul be a stop-gap before the next wave of extremism.

Leaders must lead, and not be led.

Lukman Faily was the Iraqi Ambassador to the United States between 2013 and 2016. He also served as Iraqs Ambassador to Japan from 2010 to 2013.

Originally posted here:
The Looming Defeat of ISIS in Mosul Puts Iraq At A Crossroads - Newsweek

Iran has voiced its opposition to a decision by Iraqs autonomous Kurdish region to hold a referendum on independence, saying the vote would lead to "new problems."

"The Kurdistan region is part of the Iraqi republic and unilateral decisions outside the national and legal framework, especially the Iraqi constitution... can only lead to new problems," Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Bahram Ghasemi said on June 10.

Iraqi Kurdish officials said on June 7 that the region would hold a referendum on September 25, a move unlikely to be welcomed by the federal government in Baghdad.

Iran fears separatism among its own Kurds, most of whom live in areas along the border with Iraq.

Iran is home to an estimated eight million Kurds, who like other ethnic minorities in the country, do not enjoy equal rights, such as the right to the use of their languages in schools.

Rebels of the Kurdistan Democratic Party of Iran (KDPI) and the Party of Free Life of Kurdistan (PJAK) launch sporadic attacks into Iran from rear-bases in Iraq, triggering sometimes deadly clashes with Iranian security forces.

Iraqi Kurds' planned referendum has also been criticized by Turkey, which called it a "grave mistake."

Washington also said it was opposed to the vote, saying it would be a distraction from more urgent priorities, including the fight against the extremist group Islamic State.

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Iran Criticizes Independence Vote In Iraq's Kurdistan Region - RadioFreeEurope/RadioLiberty

Iraq War veteran Pat Ryan becamethe seventh Democrat to announce he would attempt to challenge New York Republican Rep. John Faso in 2018.

Faso won an open seat in New Yorks 19th Congressional District, beating law professor and liberal activist Zephyr Teachout last year.

Ryan is a graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point and served two tours in Iraq as an Army intelligence officer, according to the Daily Freeman.

In the Army, we put the country first, and its time for Washington to do the same, he told the newspaper.

Though Ryan is from the area, he currently lives in Brooklyn and works for a technology company, but he is searching for a residence in the district.

The district is a swing district presidentially, voting narrowly for President Donald Trump last year, but it broke for Barack Obama in 2012, according to an analysis by liberal website the Daily Kos.

The district is among a number of Trump-won districts that the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee is targeting.

Faso is considered a moderate on climate changebut has faced some criticism for his vote to replace the 2010 health care law.

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Iraq War Vet Will Challenge Faso - Roll Call