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Given Iraq’s geopolitical reality, Kurdish leaders who initially dreamed of an independent state have moderated their demands and now seek an autonomous zone in Iraq’s three northern provinces. While the average Kurd dreams of an independent state of Kurdistan, most follow the will of their leaders who seek compromise with Iraq’s Sunni and Shi‘a Arab leaders. While many in Iraq seek a strong centralized state, the Kurds prefer a regional government similar to the one in place since Saddam Hussain unilaterally pulled his troops out in 1991.

The Arabs and other minorities ought not to fear Kurdish designs for several reasons. First, despite stated Kurdish desires, the Kurdish National Assembly (KNA) never made any moves towards establishing an independent state. Rather, the KNA and its constituents maintained that they were a semi-independent part of Iraq, waiting to unify with the southern provinces following their liberation. Second, the Kurds of Iraq identify first as Iraqis, and then as Kurds. In fact, Kurdish leaders went so far as to appease other Iraqis by accepting clauses in the Transitional Administrative Law that acknowledge the Arab parts of Iraq as part of the Arab world, but that Iraq will remain a unique multi-ethnic state. Finally, Iraq’s Kurds and Arabs do not have a history of violent conflict beyond the actions of a few government officials. Instead, Kurds and Arabs have cemented strong relationships through intermarriage as well as cooperation in grassroots political movements. In fact, even on the political level, there are Kurds and Arabs who are willing to cooperate – evidenced by Kurdish collaboration with the Iraqi National Congress prior to the US invasion in 2003.

In order to achieve a minimum of their aspirations, Kurdish leaders consented to compromise on a number of issues. The most important concern affecting Kurdish-Arab relations besides the final status of the northern provinces is the fate of the northern oil fields. Kurdish leaders have agreed that the oil is not specifically theirs, but belongs to all of Iraq’s people. As a result, since the collapse of Hussain’s regime, Kurdish and other Iraqi leaders have sought a formula by which the oil and its revenue could be divided fairly among all. One possibility is that 30 percent of the oil will be transferred to a fund that will distribute the oil to each family and town by specific need. Then, 40 percent will be transferred to the federal and state budgets and the remaining 40 percent will go towards the reconstruction and development of Iraq. Furthermore, the Kurds have accepted Iraq’s place in the Arab world. As noted before, Iraq’s Arab parts are accorded the right to be considered part of the Arab world, while the Kurdish regions remain an essential component of Iraq.

Overall, the Kurdish people speak with a single voice when their leaders proclaim their desire to live in a free, democratic republic. While Kurds desire a Kurdish state of their own, they understand that they cannot undermine the United States' position in the region by creating fear among Iraq’s neighbors of the rise of an irredentist Kurdish national movement. Furthermore, the Kurds are proud Iraqis. In fact, since the withdrawal of Saddam’s troops, Kurds have created a vital and successful private and public sector economy, which has continued to improve due to reconstruction projects under USAID and foreign contracts awarded for infrastructure improvements. As a result, Kurds believe that they have a stake in maintaining a stable Iraq in a stable and secure region. To this end, Nijyar Shemdin proclaimed that "we are all Iraqis, and we want Iraq to succeed."