Note of 2005: This article was written, but has not been published, prior to United Nations Security Council Resolution 1546 (8 June 2004). This resolution gives the facts mentioned in the article further dimensions.

Who are America's true allies in Iraq? While the US does have some partners, they are often figures with little power and no popular support. Many might consider the Kurds to be unwavering allies of the US, but such an assumption is overly optimistic.

The two ruling parties in Iraqi Kurdistan, headed by Masud Barzani and Jalal Talabani, have one main goal: to maintain their grip on power in Kurdistan.

This power, along with their militias, was severely threatened after the fall of Saddam Hussein when US forces began disarming them. In the immediate aftermath, the two parties lost their influence in the region, along with the substantial income they had enjoyed for years. The once-oppressed citizens, now freed from fear, began speaking openly about the corruption and abuses they had endured.

However, when the coalition forces faced violent resistance across Iraq, the Kurdish parties once again found themselves in a favorable position.

The Kurdish authorities are well aware that their future is tied to the situation in central and southern Iraq. The equation is clear: America's presence in Iraq is essential, but the challenges the US faces also present an opportunity for the Kurds to gain power.

I remember sitting with an enthusiastic member of Talabani's party and a friend of his, watching the conflict in central Iraq on television. I expected my friend to condemn the Iraqi resistance, but instead, he smiled and said, "That's good. The more trouble there is in Iraq, the more the Kurds will benefit."

This is a hard truth, but it doesn't mean the Kurds are traitors. On the contrary, they are loyal to those who help them or whom they love, and this loyalty is something Saddam Hussein himself admired.

The public once hoped that America would weaken the influence of the two dominant Kurdish parties in political and economic life. There were thousands of complaints and numerous protests, but when America ultimately sided with these parties, many people felt betrayed. At one point, the slogan "Long live the Marines" was popular in Kurdish newspapers, but that sentiment has since faded.

While some Kurds still view America as a friend, most are supporters of the two ruling parties, who have sought legitimacy through the events in Iraq. I once wrote an article in Kurdish titled "Falluja: The Source of Legitimacy for Kurdish Authority," and whether or not the title is revealing, the fact remains: America has no true allies in Iraq—not even the Kurds.