Iraq's nation within a nation takes shape

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ARBIL - Two years and three elections after the fall of the Saddam regime, Kurdistan is taking shape as a nation within a nation.

Kurds voted January 30 for the Iraqi National Assembly - just like the rest of the country - as well as for Kurdish parliament and local government through the governorate councils. That in itself does not add up to independence, but it does amount to independence-like autonomy.

The two main Kurdish parties, the Kurdish Democratic Party (KDP) and the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) won 75 seats through a common slate in the 275-member Iraqi National Assembly. The Kurdish parties could be part of a new Iraqi government but will have an influential voice within it in any case.

Kurds elected a Kurdish parliament that has been given authority by the Transitional Administrative Law - passed by the now defunct Iraqi Governing Council with the aim of removing Kurd fears of an Arab dominated government in Baghdad - to rule on the internal affairs of Kurdistan. The Kurdish parliament will rule on all matters except foreign policy and diplomatic representation, security and defense, and fiscal matters including currency.

Asia Times