Hogir Fathi, a 24-year-old fighter in the peshmerga forces of autonomous Kurdistan, was killed by a bomb while on the frontline against Islamist militants. His father, Mehdi, also a peshmerga fighter who battled Saddam Hussein's army, expressed pride in his son's martyrdom and emphasized the importance of sacrificing for an independent Kurdistan. The Kurds, who have long been denied a state of their own, are now closer to achieving that dream as the chaos in Iraq raises the possibility of the country being partitioned. The Kurds have been expanding their territory, including the city of Kirkuk, which they claim as their national capital. Despite calls for secession and a referendum on independence, economic and external pressures may prevent Kurdish leaders from making a final break in the near future. Kurdistan Vice President Kosrat Rasul Ali, a veteran peshmerga commander, stated that while all Kurdish people support the idea of independence, the leadership should carefully consider whether the timing is appropriate. He emphasized that if the political climate is not conducive, it may be wise to wait several years to avoid any misadventures. Several other leaders echoed this caution. The threat of secession has historically benefited the Kurds in negotiations with Shi'ites and Sunnis in post-Saddam politics. The five million Iraqi Kurds, who primarily identify by their language and culture rather than their Sunni Muslim religion, already have significant autonomy, including their own armed forces and oil exports. Hostility from Turkey, which has a history of fighting Kurdish revolts, may no longer be a major obstacle to Kurdish independence. Iran, however, poses a more significant challenge, as it supports Shia parties in Baghdad who view Kurdish secession as an attempt to unfairly claim Iraq's wealth. Both Iran and Turkey have backed different factions within Iraqi Kurdistan, leading to tensions within Kurdish politics that impact attitudes towards independence. The Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) and the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) each control separate peshmerga units and territories within Iraqi Kurdistan, with the KDP leaning towards Turkey and the PUK closer to Iran. A senior figure in the PUK warned that failure to maintain a balanced relationship between Iran and Turkey could have negative consequences. The KDP was accused by an Iranian official of being part of a Sunni conspiracy with Turkey to support ISIS. The US is pressuring the Kurds not to break away and to join a coalition with Shi'ites and Sunnis in Baghdad. Despite some Kurds resenting this policy, many are willing to cooperate to gain concessions in negotiations. The Kurds are facing economic challenges due to reduced federal budget spending and their unilateral oil exports. Gaining control of Kirkuk could improve their economic situation, but it may take time. The idea of independence is still important to many Kurds, even if it means sacrifices. A practical Kurdish leadership may choose to wait and observe how Iraq's other factions and their international supporters respond to the Islamist attack. According to a Western diplomat who closely monitors Iraqi politics, the Kurds currently have a strong advantage. Pursuing independence could result in more drawbacks than benefits.