U.N. to Kurdish leaders: Kirkuk referendum is recipe for war

"It is becoming more evident that Arab-Kurdish disputes will be the greatest challenge for Iraq.

The United Nations is urging Iraqi Kurds not to push for a referendum on whether the Kirkuk oil area should be part of their northern enclave, saying such a vote would ignite conflict, a Western diplomat said on Tuesday.

"The U.N. says it will not support a hostile referendum ... (asking) do you want to join the KRG or not?" the diplomat, who is involved in the negotiation, said on condition of anonymity.

"We (all) believe that would lead to war and the U.N. has ... told the Kurds that," he said.

I agree that the referendum, in the way Kurds want it, would be a bad idea. I also agree with the assumption that Baghdad and Erbil are not going to reach compromise any time soon. However, I think the lack of compromise in the next six months will not lead to armed conflict between the central government and the Kurdish regional government."
ITM

I hate to disagree with Omar, but if the Kurds don't cement their territorial and resource rights now, when?

They could end up just like the Turkish Kurds, and to tell you the truth, I think death would be the better option.