I have a healthy respect for the Kurds. Personally, I would love to see them get their own nation, and it now looks closer than ever. From Reason (quoting Reuters) <\a>:

On Thursday, the president of Iraq’s Kurdish north asked the region’s parliament to prepare the way for a referendum on its long-saught goal of independence.

Here’s the money quote:

A spokesperson for Turkey’s ruling party said earlier this week the country was ready to welcome an independent Kurdish state.

Turkey’s always been a stumbling block due to it’s fight with Kurdish separatists. If Turkey’s willing to accommodate a Kurdish state, then things could really get moving.