The Nineveh Plains as a focus for global security and diplomac concerns Rosemary Berry My discussion of the Nineveh Plains will focus on Peter Vujacovic’s lecture Prisoners of Geography, with reference to Soeren Keil’s lecture on Diplomac Engagement; Ben Water’s lecture on Negoaon and Engagement and Mark Hammond’s Comments on Environmental Diplomacy. The term Nineveh Plains is used by journalists as convenient shorthand for the area around the ancient city of Nineveh and it’s modern “twin” Mosul which straddles the Euphrates. To the south of Mosul-Nineveh are ferle tracts, less easy to defend than the land to the east, which rolls uphill to Erbil, the capital of de facto Iraq- Kurdistan. Erbil is vulnerable, a mere fiſty miles or so from Mosul, defended as much from the air, as the ground. To the north are the contested Qandil mountains, part of the Zagros range which border Turkey. The PKK (Kurdistan Worker’s Party) named as a terrorist organisaon, have bases in these mountains. To the west is Tal Afar – said to be the most contested city in Iraq - and then Sinjar. Sinjar is an outlier, rising above the dusty plains, providing a paral refugee for the Yazidis people. The area is very rich in history: a brief look at ancient mes illustrated by the power and glory of the Assyrian Empire, founded in Ashur, later moved to Nineveh. It had a cultural reach from Anatolia to modern Lebanon. The ancient people of Israel were imprisoned not only by the Babylonians but also the Assyrians – who had a fearsome reputaon for gratuitous cruelty. They are also reputed to be the greatest of the Mesopotamian empires. Mark, J (2014) ‘Assyria –definion’ Will Durant (1993) the American philosopher and historian wrote “If we should admit the imperial principle – that it is good, for the sake of spreading law, security, commerce and peace, that many states should be brought, by persuasion or force, under the authority of one government – then we should have to concede to Assyria the disncon of having established in western Asia a larger measure and area or order and prosperity, than that region of the earth had ever, to our knowledge, enjoyed before” The Assyrians favoured populaon redistribuon, to consolidate their territorial conquests. Karen Radner suggests Assyrian relocaons were “carefully planned and organised. We must not imagine treks of destute fugives, easy prey for famine and disease: they are shown as travelling groups, oſten riding on vehicles or animals and never in bonds.” Assyrian art does not shy away from scenes of extreme violence, so peaceful movements of people are thought to be authenc. Those who acvely resisted were killed or sold into slavery. Schools were established throughout the empire but only for the sons of the wealthy and nobility. Women were not allowed to aend school or hold posions of authority even though, earlier in Mesopotamia, women had enjoyed almost equal rights. The decline in women’s rights correlates to the rise of Assyrian monotheism. Mark, J (2014) The history of the Assyrians – over several millennia – is complicated and inconsistent, as different influences came into play. Today, we know them chiefly for their monumental sculpture. Nineveh was a case in point, Sennacherib moved the capital to Nineveh but in 612 BCE the city was sacked and burned. ISIS connued the destrucon of ancient Assyrian sites in 2014-16 The Independent (2016) Despite the destrucon of Nineveh in 612 BCE and subsequent populaon dispersal, Assyrians have kept much of their heritage and culture, including their Chrisan religion. The Kurdish Naonal Council (KNC) will include Assyrians in its plans for local government. This will not be a radical new departure, but a connuaon of the exisng Rojava (Syrian-Kurdish area) model for the inclusion of minories. KNC plans are backed by Iraq-Kurdistan, including the President, Masoud Barzani, leader of the Kurdish Democrac Party. The renaissance, and possible cohesion, of the Nineveh Plains, can be seen as an example of possible federalisaon: a demand for minories to have a greater voice and representaon. Keil, S. (2016)