THE HINDU Editorial Vocabulary- October 31, 2017- Topic 2

Lessons from Kirkuk

The conflict that broke out in the oil-rich city of Kirkuk between Iraqi government troops aided by Shia militias and the Peshmerga, the military wing of Iraqi Kurdistan, this month is a reminder of the divisions that run deep in the country. Both government troops and the Peshmerga are part of the coalition that is fighting the Islamic State in Iraq. 

They are also American allies. The U.S. provides air cover in the war against the IS and offers military advice to Iraqi troops, besides supplying weapons. Likewise, the Peshmerga has received arms from the U.S., Germany, the U.K. and other western countries. The U.S. also has a consulate in Erbil, the capital of Kurdistan where hundreds of its diplomats and their families live. But neither the common American factor nor the shared interests in the war against terrorists has prevented the conflict in Kirkuk, that was captured by the Peshmerga from the IS in 2014. The alliance between the Kurds and Baghdad is tactical rather than strategic. In 2014, after the IS scored a series of military victories in Iraq, including in the cities of Fallujah, Ramadi, Kirkuk and Mosul, both Baghdad and Erbil were threatened by the prospect of IS advances. They set aside their historical differences and joined hands against a common enemy. But the IS is in retreat. Most of the cities it captured, including Mosul, Iraq’s second largest, have been freed. This receding IS threat has exposed cracks in the alliance.

More immediately, the Kurdish political leadership’s push for independence from Iraq has alarmed Baghdad. Masoud Barzani, President of Iraqi Kurdistan, wanted to mobilise the momentum created in the battle against the IS in favour of independence. Despite strong opposition from Baghdad and western capitals, Mr. Barzani went ahead with a referendum in late September, in which Kurds overwhelmingly voted for independence. Though the vote is not binding on the Kurdish regional government, it has undoubtedly strengthened Kurdish nationalist politics across borders. Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi rushed troops to retake Kirkuk. Mr. Barzani’s move was politically counter-productive as he is not in a position to achieve independence for Kurdistan. Taking responsibility for the mess, he has announced he will step down as President in November. This actually aggravates the crisis. The new Kurdish leader may lack his charisma or authority but will have to deal with stronger nationalist aspirations. Baghdad has sent a tough message to Erbil by sending troops to Kirkuk: if the Kurds go ahead with plans to secede, it would invite a strong military response. The cracks in the coalition would be good news for the IS. The only country that could constructively intervene in the conflict is the U.S., which enjoys good ties with Baghdad and Erbil. It should mediate between the two sides on the Kurdish national question. Unless that is addressed, the chances for another civil war in Iraq remain high.

Vocabulary

Troop: come or go together or in large numbers.

Example: The girls trooped in for dinner

Synonyms: walk, march, file, proceed, flock, crowd, throng

Coalition: an alliance for combined action, especially a temporary alliance of political parties forming a government or of states.

Example: A coalition of conservatives and disaffected Democrats

Synonyms: alliance, union, partnership, bloc, caucus, federation, league

Consulate: the place or building in which a consul's duties are carried out.

Example: The company has lately moved into embassy building by constructing bug-free consulates for U.S. diplomats in Kyrgyzstan and Guinea-Bissau.

Retreat: an act of moving back or withdrawing.

Example: A speedy retreat

Synonyms: withdrawal, pulling back

Recede: go or move back or further away from a previous position.

Example: The flood waters had receded

Synonyms: retreat, go back, go down, move back, move away

Overwhelm: very great in amount.

Example: He was elected president by an overwhelming majority

Synonyms: very large, enormous, immense, inordinate, massive, huge

Aggravate: annoy or exasperate someone, especially persistently.

Example: The gesture aggravated me even more

Synonyms: annoy, irritate, exasperate, bother, put out, nettle, provoke

Intervene: come between so as to prevent or alter a result or course of events.

Example: He acted outside his authority when he intervened in the dispute

Synonyms: intercede, involve oneself, get involved, interpose oneself, step in

Mediate: intervene between people in a dispute in order to bring about an agreement or reconciliation.

Example: Wilson attempted to mediate between the powers to end the war

Synonyms: arbitrate, conciliate, moderate, act as peacemaker