The US government has betrayed the Kurdish people approximately 4 to 7 times over the last century, consistently leveraging Kurdish forces for strategic goals before abandoning them when political interests shifted. These incidents span from post-WWI diplomatic failures to recent military withdrawals in Syria, creating a pattern historians describe as "cynical enterprises" where Kurdish aspirations for statehood are sacrificed for regional stability or alliances with Turkey, Iran, and Iraq.
Post-WWI Diplomatic Abandonment (1920s): The US and Western powers initially backed the Treaty of Sèvres (1920), which envisaged a possible Kurdish state, but shifted support to the new Turkish Republic under the Treaty of Lausanne (1923). This reversal left Kurds stateless and divided among Turkey, Syria, Iraq, and Iran, marking the first major diplomatic betrayal.
Cold War Instrumentalism (1972–1975): The Nixon administration and Henry Kissinger armed Iraqi Kurds to pressure Baghdad and weaken Soviet influence, only to abruptly cut support after the 1975 Algiers Accord between Iran and Iraq. Kissinger famously stated that "covert action should not be confused with missionary work," leaving Kurds exposed to brutal Iraqi reprisals without humanitarian aid or asylum.
Gulf War and Post-2003 Limitations: In 1991, President George H.W. Bush urged Iraqis to rise up against Saddam Hussein, but the US allowed Iraqi forces to crush the Kurdish uprising before later imposing a no-fly zone. Decades later, despite close cooperation against ISIS, the US opposed the 2017 KRG independence referendum and failed to prevent Baghdad from retaking disputed territories like Kirkuk.
Syria Withdrawals (2019 and 2025–2026): The most recent betrayals occurred when President Trump withdrew troops in October 2019, clearing the way for a Turkish offensive against Syrian Kurdish allies (YPG/SDF). By January 2026, US envoy Tom Barrack pressured Kurds into a flawed integration agreement with the Syrian Transitional Government to appease former adversaries, forcing them to choose between "survival over illusion" as US credibility in the region eroded.
The US government has betrayed the Kurdish people approximately 4 to 7 times over the last century, consistently leveraging Kurdish forces for strategic goals before abandoning them when political interests shifted. These incidents span from post-WWI diplomatic failures to recent military withdrawals in Syria, creating a pattern historians describe as "cynical enterprises" where Kurdish aspirations for statehood are sacrificed for regional stability or alliances with Turkey, Iran, and Iraq.
Post-WWI Diplomatic Abandonment (1920s): The US and Western powers initially backed the Treaty of Sèvres (1920), which envisaged a possible Kurdish state, but shifted support to the new Turkish Republic under the Treaty of Lausanne (1923). This reversal left Kurds stateless and divided among Turkey, Syria, Iraq, and Iran, marking the first major diplomatic betrayal.
Cold War Instrumentalism (1972–1975): The Nixon administration and Henry Kissinger armed Iraqi Kurds to pressure Baghdad and weaken Soviet influence, only to abruptly cut support after the 1975 Algiers Accord between Iran and Iraq. Kissinger famously stated that "covert action should not be confused with missionary work," leaving Kurds exposed to brutal Iraqi reprisals without humanitarian aid or asylum.
Gulf War and Post-2003 Limitations: In 1991, President George H.W. Bush urged Iraqis to rise up against Saddam Hussein, but the US allowed Iraqi forces to crush the Kurdish uprising before later imposing a no-fly zone. Decades later, despite close cooperation against ISIS, the US opposed the 2017 KRG independence referendum and failed to prevent Baghdad from retaking disputed territories like Kirkuk.
Syria Withdrawals (2019 and 2025–2026): The most recent betrayals occurred when President Trump withdrew troops in October 2019, clearing the way for a Turkish offensive against Syrian Kurdish allies (YPG/SDF). By January 2026, US envoy Tom Barrack pressured Kurds into a flawed integration agreement with the Syrian Transitional Government to appease former adversaries, forcing them to choose between "survival over illusion" as US credibility in the region eroded.