Iraqi Kurdistan Leader Barzani Calls For Kurdish Independence From Iraq

EXCLUSIVE: Iraqi Kurdistan Leader Massoud Barzani Says 'The Time Is Here' For Self-Determination -- CNN

Iraqi Kurdish President Massoud Barzani gave his strongest-ever indication on Monday that his region would seek formal independence from the rest of Iraq.

“Iraq is obviously falling apart,” he told CNN's Christiane Amanpour in an exclusive interview. “And it’s obvious that the federal or central government has lost control over everything. Everything is collapsing – the army, the troops, the police.”

“We did not cause the collapse of Iraq. It is others who did. And we cannot remain hostages for the unknown,” he said through an interpreter.

“The time is here for the Kurdistan people to determine their future and the decision of the people is what we are going to uphold.”

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More News On Iraqi Kurdistan Leader Barzani Calling For Kurdish Independence From Iraq

Barzani Sends Strongest Signal for Kurdish Independence from Iraq -- Rudaw
Iraqi Kurdistan Leader Massoud Barzani Says 'The Time is Here' for Self-Determination -- AINA
Barzani gives 'concrete sign Iraq really is breaking up' -- Trend
Iraq’s Kurds Weigh Dealing With Baghdad or Going It Alone -- Bloomberg Businessweek
Iraq's Kurds Sell Oil To Israel, Move Closer To Independence -- Christopher Helman, Forbes

My Comment: This is big news .... and it is going to be impact the entire Middle East. To begin .... Iraq as we know it is now finished. Also .... the role of Turkey in this development cannot be underestimated. Expect Iran to react negatively in the next 24 hours.