John Davis
Banned
How would Middle Eastern politics and relations be different today if the Allies carved out Kurdistan out of Turkey, Iraq, and Syria after the Ottoman Empire was defeated?
The wallies aka Britain might decide, that a "divide et impera" policy might be more appropriate/managable in Iran/Iraq/Middle East they now dominate, having the southern oil fields (Basra-region) divided from the northern kurdish ones and each "administered" seperatly by puppets.What do the WAllies gain from it? Why would they take this decision?
Well, in 1919 to 1922 there were no goverments with much of a power to project.More wars in the region probably. Pretty much the only thing the governments of Syria, Iraq, Turkey and Iran (whatever their stripe over the years) have agreed on is that there should be no Kurdistan.
Up until the "War of Independence" of Atatürk, there wasn't much the turks would have been able to do and ITTL they - most likely - would now also have to deal with armenian and kurdish "opponents" beside the Greeks to fight off, these probably backed by the victorious Entente (not directly, but , ... good way to get rid of now surplus war material "sold" to kurds and armenians).Bearing in mind the OTL situation in Turkey post-WWI, how do the WAllies enforce this on Ataturk without a further war? What went different in WWI that leads the WAllies to be in a place to enforce this?
However, if an independant Krudistan would be written into the treaty of Sevres, perhaps with Wilson in the boat by the "nationality-priciple", there could/would/should also be written into an independant Armenia - at least, Aserbaidjan - more "control" over the caspian oil-wells via a perhaps Persia-connected puppet or as a bigger persian aseri-province, maybe even an independant Georgia.
Wouldn't distance be an issue?In OTL the Caucasian states declared their independents, but were conquered by the Soviets. This spurs a question: Would the Soviets be able to conquer Kurdistan?
Would depend on how "serious" the Entente/Brits take their engagement in the Caucasus after eleven-eleven-eighteen. Against a (more ?) determined Britain, playing a bit more with the different civil war factions as well as stationing some more forces there the soviets won't be able to "retake" the Caucasus. ... The "power" of the Brits to buy out the numerous clan-chiefs, gang-leaders etc. in this region would be too strong.In OTL the Caucasian states declared their independents, but were conquered by the Soviets. This spurs a question: Would the Soviets be able to conquer Kurdistan?
The Brits already sat in at least persian Aserbaidjan.Wouldn't distance be an issue?