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In
Baghdad, some Iraqis criticised the election of
Barzani, son of Kurdish nationalist leader Mustafa
Barzani.
"Having another Kurdish president is unacceptable to
Sunnis like myself," said Tarek Adeeb, a transport
company employee.
Firaas Maher, a Christian, said too much influence
in the hands of one group threatened to exclude
other communities.
"During Saddam's time he only helped the people
closest to him while we were left to live in the
dirt. I don't want that to happen again," said the
mobile telephone shop employee.
The Kurds have been pushing for a fully federal
Iraq, something the Arab majority is less keen on.
Moreover, the Kurds want the oil centre of Kirkuk as
their capital, a demand that has angered Arabs and
Turkmen also vying for influence in the city which
lies south of the present Kurdish borders.
Iraqi Kurdish aspirations have also angered powerful
northern neighbour Turkey, concerned over its own
restive Kurdish population.
Barzani will lead one of Iraq's most peaceful
regions.
But Sunni Islamist insurgents such as al Qaeda's
leader in Iraq Abu Musab al-Zarqawi consider Kurdish
leaders infidel puppets of the United States.
A suicide bomber struck the offices of Barzani's
party in Arbil in May, killing at least 46 people.
Arbil also suffered heavy losses last year when twin
suicide bombings hit the offices of the two main
Kurdish parties, killing 117 people.
Kurds will also face internal challenges. Political
rivalries have strained ties between Kurds and
slowed efforts to build a regional government in the
north and tensions between the PUK and KDP could
surface again.
Reuters
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