The Kurds: The People Without a Friend

The Miracle of the Kurds: A Remarkable Story of Hope Reborn in Northern Iraq by Stephen Mansfield is a dream unfolding before the very eyes of the world. Long neglected, despised and systematically annihilated by Saddam Hussein's regime while the world looked the other way, the Kurds numbering approximately thirty million and inhabiting a region known as Kurdistan which spans adjacent parts of Iran, Iraq, Syria and Turkey are the largest people group in the world without a homeland of their own.

With Masoud Barzani as the President of the semi-autonomous Kurdish region, his son Masrour Barzani as the Kurdish intelligence chief and Najat Ali Saleh as commander of the Kurdish army, things are certainly looking bright for the Kurdish people. However, the biggest stumbling block to the attainment of independence is the policy of One Iraq pursued by the United States government. Yet, the Kurdish people are America's staunchest ally in the region. It may be pertinent to point out that no American soldier was killed in the Kurdish region between 2003, when it invaded Iraq, and 2011, when it pulled out of the country. Very recently in August when the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS) captured swathes of land and made huge incursion into the Kurdish region, 5 top Kurdish commanders were relieved of their posts and detained for interrogation. The captured town and villages were retaken and the ISIS fighters were driven back. Kurdish soldiers are known as peshmerga or "those who face death."

New York Times bestselling author Stephen Mansfield's newest book focuses on the Kurdish people and their resilience which has taken them to a crossroad in their long struggle for independence and survival. Written along the line of his earlier insightful and perceptive books like The Faith Of George W. Bush, The Faith of Barack Obama and Killing Jesus: The Hidden Drama Behind the World's Most Famous Execution, The Miracle of the Kurds is a compelling book which sheds much light on this group of people who called themselves "the people without a friend." Mansfield has also painted a fascinating portrait of Mullah Mustafa Barzani, Masoud Barzani and Jalal Talabani.

The nine-chapter book ends with an interesting appendix- The Wisdom of the Kurds: 100 Proverbs. Here are several of them which will make you think:
- In a flat country, a hillock thinks itself a mountain.
- Those away from the battlefield boasts about their swords.
- A thief not caught becomes a king.
- Those who do not go to war roar like a lion.
- One gives twice who gives quickly.
- No matter where you go, your destiny follows you.
- A good companion shortens the longest road.
- Loneliness is a nest for the thoughts.
- God finds a low branch for the bird that cannot fly.
- A visitor comes with ten blessings, eats one and leaves nine.
- Part with your head but not with your secret.
- If skill could be gained by watching, every dog would become a butcher.
- The devil tempts all, but the idle man tempts the devil.
- Ability has no school.

Stephen Mansfield is a writer and speaker best known for his groundbreaking books on the role of religion in history, leadership, and modern culture. He first came to international attention with The Faith of George W. Bush, the New York Times bestseller that influenced Oliver Stone’s film, W. His book The Faith of Barack Obama was another international bestseller. He has written celebrated biographies of Booker T. Washington, George Whitefield, Winston Churchill, and Abraham Lincoln, among others. Stephen speaks around the world on topics of faith, leadership, and culture. He is also the founder of two firms: The Mansfield Group (MansfieldGroup.com) and Chartwell Literary Group (ChartwellLiterary.com). He lives in Nashville and in Washington, DC, with his wife, Beverly, who is an award-winning songwriter and producer.

INTERNATIONAL DAY OF PROTEST AGAINST STONING

Do you know Saturday, August 28 was the International Day of Protest Against Stoning?

Many cities took part in the event to fight what organizers and participants described as a method of state-sponsored terrorism used by Iran to silence domestic critics and “keep women in their place.”

 The events were held in cities from Nairobi to Sydney to Kirkuk in northern Iraq.

The protest day was marked by presentations of the stories of Iranians Sakineh Mouhamadi Ashiany and Zeinab Jalalian, both of whom face execution by stoning. Ashiany’s case has drawn worldwide attention mainly because she was sentenced to death by stoning for committing adultery, a crime that allegedly occurred after her husband was already dead.

Ashiany’s case is shrouded in uncertainty and conflicting reports, and Teheran has denied that her crime was adultery or that she faced execution by stoning.

Organizers screened films about stoning in Iran and attendees wrote letters to 25 condemned women facing the brutal punishment in the Islamic Republic.

According to Middle East analyst Meir Javedanfar, stoning “is a barbaric act that has no place in this day and age,” and is a method of intimidation wielded by the rulers of Iran.

Stoning is practiced in Iran “as a show of strength by a regime that feels more and more weakened. They are trying to create a deterrent and it shows how desperate they are becoming,” Javedanfar said.

He added that stoning and other types of violence are used as a means of “keeping women in their place,” largely because of the prominent role that many women played in the demonstrations last year against the tainted Iranian presidential election.

“The government is particularly afraid of women because many were at the forefront of demonstrations last year. The government is trying to send a message to women,” he said.

Stoning is practiced in countries across the Muslim world, though not always with state approval. The punishment is typically meted out to adulterers and involves the victim being buried in the ground to her neck or chest and hit with rocks until she is dead.