The Kurds are spread over different countries, the victims of colonial carve-up of the Muslim East (aka the Middle East) but they tend to make decisions that are not in their own best interest. Their latest move, a declaration of autonomy in northeast Syria is one such example. This is likely to complicate the possibility of achieving a political solution to the 5-year-old war on Syria.
While unable to directly block UN-brokered peace talks on Yemen in Geneva that started today, the Najdi Bedouins, displaying childish behavior, forced the Egyptian regime to refuse permission for the plane carrying Yemeni representatives from flying over its territory. In the absence of Ansarullah and representatives of the former president Ali Abdullah Saleh, the talks are bound to fail.
After three rounds of intense negotiations in Geneva, Iran and the P5+1 countries signed an interim deal in the early hours of November 24 relating to Iran’s nuclear program. The deal to last for six months calls for Iran to limit its nuclear activity in return for some relief from sanctions.
Representatives from the Islamic Republic of Iran and the P5+1 group of countries are to resume discussions in Geneva on November 7. The follow up meeting within three weeks of the first round is seen as a good sign.
Former US President George Bush canceled a forthcoming trip to Geneva fearing that he might be arrested. Bush was to be keynote speaker at a gala dinner organized by the Jewish group, Keren Hayesod, on February 12.
