The Kurds benefitted the most...

...from the fall of Sadaam and The Baathists. They've been asking The West for help since before the first Gulf war.

Interesting that there are few (if any) insurgents' in Kurdland. Probably because they are well trained and armed to the teeth, and al-Qaeda or any jihad-a-mentalist know The Kurds will give them a serious fight.

The downside of this group being heavily armed does raise the probability of potential civil war (in theory). I read an interview somewhere with a high ranking Kurd...when asked about a such a situation, he said "we would not start it".

p.s. Yeah, the New York is my favorite lefty mag too...even had a subscription for a few years.