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8/12/05

WorkingForChange-The selling of brand Kurdistan

WorkingForChange

The selling of brand Kurdistan

As chaos continues across much of Iraq, the governing authority is coming to yet another crossroads.Inside the Green Zone -- the location of the U.S. Embassy and major Iraqi government offices -- officials are struggling to forge an acceptable constitution by the mid-August deadline. Outside the relative safety of that enclave, the insurgency continues apace as demonstrated by daily suicide bombings and civilian casualties. While the Shi'ite leaders of the government are negotiating deals and solidifying ties with Iran, and the Sunnis remain mostly disengaged from the political process, the Kurds appear to have mastered a dual strategy of participating in government decisions while at the same time taking matters regarding their future into their own hands. The generally efficient, if questionable, electoral process not only turned out large numbers of voters, but it also allowed Kurdish leader, Jalal Talabani, to be selected as the country's president, insuring close participation by the Kurds in all important government deliberations. On a parallel strategic track, however, the Kurdish Regional Government appears to be keeping its options open, recently hiring Russo Marsh & Rogers (RM&R) -- a Sacramento, Calif.-based public relations firm with close ties to the Republican Party -- to promote its interests.

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