Armenian support for the Kurdish cause?

[Dave]

If I remember correctly, the Dutch police found (and took over) a Kurdish camp where Kurds were being trained and sent to Armenia... What would this really mean? Is there a region in Armenia where there's a strong Kurdish presence, and where they would be thinking of independence? Or were these Kurds being sent in a Kurdish camp in Armenia, so that they prepare their ''thing'' against Turkey safely?

[Hayq]

There are christian Kurds called Yezdis, I believe.

Although I am not a big fan of Kurds, I have no problem if they start a rebellion against TUrkey. Not my phucking problem.

[Dave]

Pyunik, I'd rather support Kurds in their struggle, than Turkey... They remind me of late 19th century Armenians.

[IAmMadAtAC]

I don't understand why we should not root for the Kurds.
1. They can start territorial problems with Turkey.
2. They might even take some of our historical lands from Turkey. Wouldn't that be better than Turkey having them?? Since we have been having good relations with them lately and have been helping them out, perhaps they would repay us with free movement around the territories, giving us a chance to do things like climb Ararat, restore Aghtamar and Ani, etc. If they were REALLY nice they'd even give us a little bit of land but that is more than doubtful. Regardless though, wouldn't our lands under the control of a former enemy be better than our lands under the control of a current enemy?
Why are you so sure they will never get the lands of Eastern Turkey Pyunik? The freaking entire population of Eastern Turkey is already overwhelmingly majority Kurd, and with the independence movement due to come from the Iraq civil war there is a good chance they'd want to join together into one. I wouldn't say never with this case.

[TJ]

There are christian Kurds called Yezdis, I believe.

Although I am not a big fan of Kurds, I have no problem if they start a rebellion against TUrkey. Not my phucking problem.

theyre not christians, they are just what they are called, yezidi. its a mixture of islam and zoroastrianism. most of the 60,000 or so kurds in Armenia are yezdi.

[Hayq]

I don't understand why we should not root for the Kurds.
1. They can start territorial problems with Turkey.

Although it will hurt TUrkey, it may very well hurt Armenia as well. Turkish propaganda can claim that ARmenians have helped train Kurds, and with such terrorist and rebelious acts soo close to Armenia, who would want to risk their investments there? Another problem is that you can kiss the open border with TUrkey good bye, which would bring in plenty of money.

2. They might even take some of our historical lands from Turkey. Wouldn't that be better than Turkey having them?? Since we have been having good relations with them lately and have been helping them out, perhaps they would repay us with free movement around the territories, giving us a chance to do things like climb Ararat, restore Aghtamar and Ani, etc. If they were REALLY nice they'd even give us a little bit of land but that is more than doubtful.

Once again, they are not going to give anything to Armenia. They themselves have enough inner problem, let them handle their own situation.

Regardless though, wouldn't our lands under the control of a former enemy be better than our lands under the control of a current enemy?

Turkey is a better enemy than the Kurds. I really do not think Turkey is a CURRENT enemy. The Kurds, if gained that land, could easily come after Armenia. They have no treaties signed with anyone and a war with the Kurds would be fair game. At least with Turkey you know there is the CFE and NATO would not really care about taking Armenia militarily.

Why are you so sure they will never get the lands of Eastern Turkey Pyunik? The freaking entire population of Eastern Turkey is already overwhelmingly majority Kurd, and with the independence movement due to come from the Iraq civil war there is a good chance they'd want to join together into one. I wouldn't say never with this case.

Much like the situation with Armenians, they are united when they are threatened. If they get these lands, there will be soo much bickering that Turkey can retake it in a flash

[IAmMadAtAC]

Turkey is a better enemy than the Kurds. I really do not think Turkey is a CURRENT enemy. The Kurds, if gained that land, could easily come after Armenia. They have no treaties signed with anyone and a war with the Kurds would be fair game. At least with Turkey you know there is the CFE and NATO would not really care about taking Armenia militarily.

While I don't quite agree with some of what you said overall, you had some good points in the part I quoted above. But as you said, they have enough internal problems, so why would they attack Armenia? While it is true they are dangerous with no treaties to reign them in, I don't really understand why they'd attack Armenia. Talk about bad foreign policy, if you say Armenia's is bad imagine the Kurds attack their ONLY allied neighbor. It seems you don't understand that wars do not arise at the drop of a hat and attribute their causes to things much more spur of the moment. If you can give me good reasons as to why the Kurds will conquer Armenia I might concede it's possible, but right now, esp. with our Russian border guards, I can understand no feasable reason why the currently friendly Kurds would have to attack little Armenia, seeing as it has huge Turkey on the other side to deal with. I say we back the Kurds, not necesarrily give them all kinds of stuff and actively support them, but behind the scenes we should root for them.

If they get these lands, there will be soo much bickering that Turkey can retake it in a flash

No, because I'm saying the Kurds, if someone we got lucky and they gave something, it'd only been small areas bordering Armenia. There'd still be a lot of Kurdistan between us and Turkey, and so for them to conquer those lands back they'd have to conquer through Kurdistan first. More likely we won't get any land but at least I think we'd have more access to our historic lands and sites. After all, anything is more than the current zero.

[Hayq]

Wht difference does it make? Turkey is not going to attack Armenia. Giving the Kurds land is going to create a rogue nation right next to Armenia.

[xBaron Dants]

By supporting the Kurdish cause, you give validity to their claims over Armenian lands.

Kurds in Armenia as an ethnic minority are respected, just like any ethnic minority should be respected. Many of them even volunteered during the Artsakh Liberation movement, because many feel that they are citizens of Armenia. Our relationship should not go beyond that, in my humble opinion.

Interests change, and so do your allies. By supporting the Kurds now, it might bite us in the a$$ later.

[IAmMadAtAC]

Interests change, and so do your allies. By supporting the Kurds now, it might bite us in the a$$ later.

Yes this is a definite possibility I am worried about as well. I guess now's not a good time for a Kurdistan in Turkey, at least not until the genocide issue is finally resolved, which could be years.