Hogir Fathi, a 24-year-old fighter in the Iraqi region's peshmerga forces, was killed by a bomb while on the frontline against Islamist militants. His father, Mehdi, who is also a peshmerga, expressed pride in his son's sacrifice for an independent Kurdistan. The Kurds, who have long sought their own state after being denied one following World War One, are now closer to realizing that dream as Iraq's internal conflicts fuel talk of partition. Despite calls for secession and a referendum on independence, economic and external pressures may delay Kurdish leaders from taking a decisive step towards full independence. Kurdistan Vice President Kosrat Rasul Ali, a veteran peshmerga commander, stated that while all Kurdish people support independence, the leadership must carefully consider whether the timing is appropriate. He mentioned that if the political climate is not conducive, they may have to wait years to avoid a misadventure. This caution is echoed by other leaders who spoke to Reuters. The threat of secession has been beneficial to the Kurds in negotiations with Shi'ites and Sunnis in post-Saddam politics. Iraqi Kurds, who are primarily Sunni Muslim but identify themselves by language and culture, already have significant autonomy, including their own armed forces and oil exports, which has caused tension with Baghdad. Turkey's history of fighting Kurdish revolts may no longer be a major obstacle to Kurdish independence, as Ankara has worked with Iraq's Kurds to protect itself from southern chaos and become an oil buyer. Iran, however, views Kurdish secession as an attempt to claim an unfair share of Iraq's wealth and supports Shia parties in Baghdad. Differences between Iran and Turkey have led to tensions within Kurdish politics, as the Kurdistan Democratic Party and the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan, which have ties to Turkey and Iran respectively, control separate territories and peshmerga units in Iraqi Kurdistan. A senior figure in the PUK warned that failing to maintain a balance in relations between Iran and Turkey could have negative consequences. The PUK, led by President Jalal Talabani and Vice President Rasul, is critical of the KDP and accused them of colluding with Turkey and Sunni groups to undermine Iraq. The US is pressuring the Kurds to remain part of Iraq and join a coalition with Shi'ites and Sunnis. Despite some Kurds wanting independence, many are willing to cooperate in order to negotiate better terms, particularly regarding oil exports. The Kurds' unilateral oil exports led to budget cuts from Baghdad, causing financial strain in Kurdistan. While taking control of Kirkuk could improve their economic situation in the long run, some believe it may be better to delay independence for now. Despite the challenges, many Kurds are willing to make sacrifices for the cause of sovereignty. A practical Kurdish leadership may choose to wait and observe how Iraq's different groups and their international supporters handle the Islamist offensive before making any decisions. A Western diplomat familiar with Iraqi politics noted that the Kurds are currently in a favorable position and cautioned that pursuing independence could have more drawbacks than benefits.