Iraqi Kurdistan profile
Background research
First, the information has been published by the BBC News which is a globally recognized and reputable news outlet. The article relies on both qualitative and quantitative data a significance of the extended research that was done before the publication. The timelines provided in the article reflects what is available in other sources. In the article, images with their sources are used to emphasize the information provided on the Iraqi Kurdistan. Nevertheless, the article lacks relevant links and citations from the sources some of the information has been drawn from. Moreover, the author of the article is anonymous. Indicating the author and their credentials is important.
Key terminology or concept in the text
The key terminology that the article has largely explained is Kurds. The article has defined who are the Kurds and where they are located in Iraq as well as countries that border them. Moreover, how they came into existence has been explained precisely.
Summary of the findings
The hopes of the Kurdish people to live in their own nation was raised and dashed in 1920 after the breaking of the Ottoman Empire. Since then, Kurds in various countries such as Syria, Iraq, Iran, and Turkey sought having their homeland. In 1988 the then President of Iraq Saddam Hussein released poison gas in the town of Halabja occupied by the Kurds killing thousands in what was referred to as a genocide. The Kurds would get a safe haven after the Gulf War consequently gaining autonomy. In the year 1994-1997, civil war was experienced between Patriotic Union of Kurdistan and the Kurdish Democratic Party. After Saddam Hussein had been overthrown in 2005, the new Iraqi constitution recognized Kurdistan as a federal region that was autonomous. In 2017, the Iraqi Kurds voted in a referendum that had been delayed for years; however, the Iraqi army forced the regional government to call off the decision.
Evaluation of arguments
Two arguments that the article puts forward are that the Kurds from Iraq experienced long struggle before becoming autonomous and despite the elimination of Saddam Hussein, the Kurdistan Region has many challenges to deal with. To support the argument on long struggle, the article provides an in-depth history beginning from the British colonial rule and the fall of the Ottoman Empire. Important exact dates have been used to support the assertion that it took decades for the Iraqi Kurds to be recognized. The various wars and conflicts that came before the 2005 constitutional settlement have been explicitly explained. Finally, the supporting evidence on why the post-Saddam reconstruction has not been successful as envisioned is convincing considering the article cites the various challenges including being landlocked. An argument against what the article says would be that the long struggle and current problems could be expected of a small region that lacks military prowess.

Reference
BBC News. (2017). Iraqi Kurdistan profile. [Online] http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-28147263 [Accessed 2nd March 2018]