The Silent Disarmament of Kurds: Why Ending the Armed Struggle without Political Guarantees May Breed Instability and Extremism

Among the many loud processes taking place in the Middle East, the disarmament of the Kurds is the most tacit. Though the Kurds have yet to achieve their national aspirations, the Syrian government seeks to disarm them, primarily to end their century-plus old armed struggle for freedom. Stripping Kurds of their armed forces before guaranteeing their civil rights is dangerous as it will create a power vacuum that armed ultra-nationalist or religious extremist groups will likely fill.

A Century...