especially given that the traditional Kurdish region spans across many borders so if you’re a Kurd in your ancestral lands in Iran - lol good luck, and if you’re a Kurd in Iraq - lol good luck, and if you’re a Kurd in Turkey - lol good luck.
To add to this, the Kurds had their own territory under the Ottomans. After WWI, the British and French carved up the empire for themselves. They literally used a ruler to draw straight lines to divide territory. There was no consideration for ethnicities, language, existing borders, etc.
This is why Kurds are spread out across multiple countries, despite being close to one another geographically. If you look at a map showing where the majority of Kurds live, you can see the outline of a would-be country divided amongst its neighbors. Iraq was also a victim of this, with Sunnis and Shia Muslims having their own territories, but then were divided or combined for the benefit of the English and French.
The division of the Middle East was deliberate so European colonizers could pit groups against one another while they pillaged those countries. The same tactic was used with the caste system in India, so the British knew if they replicated that, they wouldn’t face any resistance.
To add to this, the Kurds had their own territory under the Ottomans. After WWI, the British and French carved up the empire for themselves. They literally used a ruler to draw straight lines to divide territory. There was no consideration for ethnicities, language, existing borders, etc.
This is why Kurds are spread out across multiple countries, despite being close to one another geographically. If you look at a map showing where the majority of Kurds live, you can see the outline of a would-be country divided amongst its neighbors. Iraq was also a victim of this, with Sunnis and Shia Muslims having their own territories, but then were divided or combined for the benefit of the English and French.
The division of the Middle East was deliberate so European colonizers could pit groups against one another while they pillaged those countries. The same tactic was used with the caste system in India, so the British knew if they replicated that, they wouldn’t face any resistance.