Listen to the podcast “The Intelligence”, by The Economist on April 21st. The podcast host, Jason Palmer, discusses a range of issues, including the Kurdish cause and its future.
Between minute 12 and minute 20 of the podcast, a few topics related to the Kurds are covered: the place of Kurds in the Middle East, the military actions taken 30 years ago to protect the Kurds, and whether an independent Kurdish state is foreseeable. President Nechirvan Barzani is heard weighing in on this last question. When asked whether Kurdish ambitions to have a Kurdish state are shrinking, he responds: “As a Kurd, yes, I would like to see the Kurdish independent. I will not do something to harm my people. But the reality is different from what you want.”
The end of the podcast also emphasises the particular position of the Kurdish capital, Erbil, that is described as a haven of development and liberalism relative to the rest of Iraq.
If you want to learn more about the Kurds, their history and insights into what the future holds, have a listen to the podcast here.