The Kurdish Cause and Its International Friends

Sozan Shahab Nuri

Written by Sozan Shahab Nuri

The Kurdish cause is a legitimate national cause across all four parts of Greater Kurdistan. Precisely because of its legitimacy, the Kurdish cause has faced numerous domestic, regional and international conspiracies. Nevertheless, despite many setbacks and fluctuations, it has achieved significant successes through the efforts of its various political parties, movements and prominent figures across different parts of Kurdistan.

The Struggle of Stateless Nations

The struggle of stateless nations is inherently difficult. This is not because their causes lack legitimacy, but because they face internal divisions, geopolitical constraints and the competing interests of major powers. The situation becomes particularly complex when the geopolitical position of the state in which a stateless nation lives is strategically important, encouraging alliances and rivalries among regional and global powers.
Stateless nations are often disadvantaged by geography and geopolitical interests, leaving them with limited influence and preventing them from becoming strategic partners of the world's major decision-makers. As a result, they frequently lack a meaningful voice in regional and international political processes.

Victims of Wars and International Alliances

From the Battle of Chaldiran in 1514 to the Sykes-Picot Agreement of 1916 and, later, the Treaty of Lausanne in 1923, the Kurds repeatedly failed to achieve their national aspirations. Instead, Kurdish movements and communities became caught between major international conflicts, wars and alliances. It is fair to say that, throughout much of modern history, Kurdish aspirations have often been subordinated to the interests of larger regional and international powers.
Yet, beyond this painful historical reality, the direction of history began to change towards the end of the 20th century. The Kurds gained several opportunities to advance their national aspirations and began to establish relationships and partnerships with international actors.
One significant example came during the Kurdish uprising of 1991, when the international community, led in part by France, intervened to protect the Kurdish population from attacks by Saddam Hussein's Ba'athist regime.
The establishment of a protected safe haven ultimately contributed to the emergence of the political entity now known as the Kurdistan Region of Iraq.

Growing International Recognition

From the late 20th century into the first quarter of the 21st century, the Kurdish people have gained greater international recognition and support.
The rise of ISIS and its attacks on the Kurdistan Region, alongside the genocide committed against the Yazidi Kurds, brought renewed international attention to the Kurdish cause. The sacrifice of Peshmerga in the battle against terrorism, followed by the prominent role played by the Kurds in West Kurdistan in the fight against terrorism, further strengthened the Kurdish presence on the international stage.
These developments helped transform the perception of the Kurds from a largely marginalised political actor into an increasingly recognised and influential force in regional security and the fight against terrorism.

The Need for a New Mechanism

These developments, however, should not lead the Kurds to assume that international friendships and partnerships are necessarily permanent or unconditional. The international political system is largely driven by interests. Therefore, Kurdish political forces must develop a new mechanism through which they can become an important partner in protecting and advancing the interests of both sides.
The objective should be to establish relationships in which major powers recognise the strategic value of the Kurdish role and take Kurdish interests into account when shaping their regional policies.
The legitimacy of the Kurdish cause alone cannot guarantee its success. Building effective partnerships with influential regional and global actors is also essential. History provides many examples of legitimate national movements that suffered serious setbacks because of internal divisions, weak political structures and insufficient international support.

A Sensitive New Stage

The Kurdish struggle has now entered a particularly sensitive phase. The region and the wider world are undergoing significant geopolitical changes, with emerging signs of shifting alliances, new partnerships and potentially changing political arrangements. Such circumstances require the Kurds to develop a comprehensive strategy and prepare themselves politically, diplomatically and institutionally.
Building strong and sustainable links with influential countries is increasingly important and cannot be ignored. Kurdish political forces must understand the changing international environment and identify areas where their interests coincide with those of major regional and global powers.

Making More Friends

Effective lobbying and diplomacy are essential to building broader international support for the legitimate aspirations of the Kurdish people. 
This requires a clear, comprehensive and distinctly Kurdish strategy. Internal divisions and conflicts must not be allowed to hinder the development of this vital and effective dimension of the Kurdish struggle. Such diplomatic and political efforts should be complemented by sound governance and the establishment of a genuine democratic system — areas that remain weak across the region and have been criticised by numerous countries and leading international institutions.