82 HUMANITARIAN OPERATIONS IN NORTHERN IRAQ, 1991: Kurdish People (SPKP), the Kurdistan Peoples Democratic Party (KPDP), and the Workers Party (WP). The Kurds also were deeply divided by tribal rivalry. The oldest, best kIlown, and most powerful political organization was the Kurdish Democratic Party (KDP). From 1946 until 1975, Mustapha Barzani's KDP was the single most important conduit for Kurdish nationalism in Iraq. In 1975, Jalal Talibani started the rival Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK). The KDP and the PUK have vied for Kurdish leadership ever since. Charismatic Massoud Barzani inherited the mantle of KDP leadership after his father's death in 1979. In late April, Jalal Talibani met with Saddam Hussein, after which he announced a return to the principles of Kurdish autonomy. He also urged the Kurds to cease fighting and begin returning home. However, the skeptical Kurds remained unconvinced because they had heard Saddam's lies too many times before. In 1970 he promised them autonomy, but by 1975 had renewed a campaign of repression which included using chemical weapons against Kurdish civilians in 1988. The brutality of the recent reoccupation of Kurdistan was also still fresh in their minds. Talabani's pronouncements were ignored by the Peshmerga who continued fighting Iraqi forces. Painting by Co Peter M. Mike' Gish, USMCR Tents at Zakho I, IraqFirst Page | Prev Page | Next Page | Src Image |