ABSTRACT
The connection between ethnic conflict and the international system is a two-way street. Protracted ethnic conflict often spills over boundaries, devastates economies, and contributes to environmental catastrophes. The chapter summarizes briefly how international system affects each of the four ethnopolitical groups and assesses their current status with respect to governing regimes. The four ethnopolitical groups are Kurds in Iraq, Miskitos, Chinese in Malaysia and Turks in Germany. The chapter focuses on ethnic conflict for example, that in the Iraqi Kurdish situation their leaders, Talibani and Barzani, play extremely important roles in unifying or dividing their people. It discusses their personal backgrounds and rivalries, but quickly will recognize that it is mistaken to assess Kurdish politics by the acts of their leaders alone. The chapter also assesses the international dimensions of the conflict between the Kurds and Saddam Hussein's regime.
