Ben Lando, UPI Energy Correspondent misinforming his readers

To: Mr. Ben LANDO, UPI Energy Correspondent
Copy: IraqSlogger
Dear Sir,

In your article ‘Kerkuk Referendum could spark powder keg” published in IraqSlogger
http://www.iraqslogger.com/index.php/post/3689/Kirkuk_Referendum_Could_Spark_Powder_Keg
You write that “Kerkuk has been historically Kurdish”. This statement is completely false and is misinforming your readers.

It seems you are repeating Kurdish propaganda without having checked the facts and without having done some basic research on the history of Iraq.

Moreover, your article being published under the heading “Analysis” implies that you have a deep knowledge of the subject you are treating, which unfortunately is far from being the case.
Therefore, I suggest that you obtain your information about the history of the north of Iraq from reliable sources in the future in order to inform your readers correctly and without any bias.

Attached please find two documents which will enlighten you on the history and on the situation in the north of Iraq:

- Comments regarding Mr. Massoud Barzani’s declarations at the European Parliament in Brussels on 8th May 2007 by Dr Hassan Aydinli.

- Turkmens, Turkmeneli and the Musul Region, by Mr Orhan Ketene

Yours truly,
Merry Fitzgerald
Committee for the Defence of the Iraqi Turkmen Rights – Belgium
http://turkmenfriendship.blogspot.com/2007/07/kerkuk-citadel-is-not-symbol-of-kurdish.html