By: Ali Elizabeth Turner
If this Soldier column seems a bit “scrambly,” it is because we were up against a printing deadline and hoping to get some clarity as to what is actually going on with regards to the Kurds deciding to wade into the fray that is occurring in Iran. And, I am aware that by the time you read this, things could have changed many times, and reports may be more than fuzzy.
There is a hive of questions buzzing and poised to sting due to the fact that the Kurds, who have my deepest admiration as a result of my time in Iraq, are once again putting their lives on the line for freedom. It could be said that they are just being backed by other interests, but that tells me you don’t know the Kurds, their history, their resolve or their determination to be free.
Saddam Hussein went after the Kurds on March 16, 1988, and used chemical warfare to kill thousands. One of my dearest friends in Iraq, Mr. Aram escaped the Halabja massacre because he was already on the run from Saddam, and crept back in after the attack. The discussion of what it was like to see the dead and still contend with the traces of the chemicals used in the attack changed my life. Interestingly, the man known as Chemical Ali, who was imprisoned on one of the bases where I worked made the following statement in 1987, “I will kill them all with chemical weapons. Who is going to say anything? The international community?” By contrast, Mr. Aram told God, “Whoever invades to help us be free I will help,” and he did.
Most of the interpreters that came from around the world to work in the post-Saddam era were Christians and many spoke several languages, including Farsi. And, the Kurds went on to actually produce videos thanking the United States for invading their country and inviting us to the resorts they were running “up there.” If you went to what is now Kurdistan, you would be watched over by the entire population by the deeply held Middle Eastern conviction that if a visitor comes your way, you are duty bound to protect them with your life. We jokingly talked about how wonderful it would be to take a Leave Without Pay (LWOP) and go vacation with the Kurds. Truth be told, we would have been safer there than in many cities in America.
Enter the Peshmerga, the Kurdish warriors. They are fierce, they are loyal, they are principled, disciplined and remind me of what I imagine David’s mighty men might have been like. They are warriors amongst warriors. They want to be free, and they live in both Iraq and Iran. Do I know all the reasons they have decided to get involved? No. However, these guys will do what ever it takes to be out from under oppression, and trust me when I tell you that they are patient.
If they get crushed, they’ll be back. And for my part, I will be praying for them that they prevail. They are amongst the honored ones to whom I owe my gratitude for being protected so well while I played ping-pong with our soldiers just to give them a taste of home. May God give them victory.
By: Ali Elizabeth Turner
