How were the borders after WWI drawn and decided in the middle east? I was just watching this video and there was a discussion towards the end about the Kurdish people being spread over four modern countries despite a common identity. They referenced these borders being drawn up by European powers after the first world war without inviting the Kurds to the table. If not by cultural and group identity, how were the borders of the middle east drawn and decided?
Hi there. I've written/talked about this before at some length. Some examples here.
In the case of northern Syria, the border was drawn as a result of the Franco-Turkish War and follows the path of the Berlin-Baghdad Railway until it reaches Nusaybin/Qamishli. From there, the border extends to the Tigris, and then follows the course of the Tigris south until the Iraq/Syria/Turkey tripoint.
Edit: In the 100km between Nusaybin and Cizre in the far east of Syria, the Franco-Turkish Agreement called for the border to run from "the old road between Nisibin and Jeziret-ibn-Omar where it will join the Tigris. The localities of Nisibin and Jeziret-ibn-Omar as well as the road will remain Turkish; but the two countries shall have the same rights to the use of this road." http://www.hri.org/docs/FT1921/Franco-Turkish_Pact_1921.pdf