The opening of a sizable U.S. consulate in Erbil represents a strategic shift in Trump's approach to Iraq, one that places a higher priority on long-term diplomatic influence concentrated in more stable geographic regions than on direct military engagement
In an initiative that goes beyond conventional diplomacy, the United States opened a sizeable consulate building in Erbil, the capital of Iraqi Kurdistan, on Wednesday, December 3. This opening has significant political and security ramifications...
... Democratic Party (KDP) and the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), the two ruling parties in Iraqi Kurdistan,
ran
together in 2010. Four years later, Nouri Al-Maliki was overthrown as prime minister thanks to an
agreement
between Haidar Al-Abadi and the Kurds. This time, none of those scenarios exist; in fact, since the Ba'ath Party's government ended in 2003, the Kurdish parties have seldom ever been weaker in comparison to Baghdad.
Election Outcomes: Kurdish Parties Win 17.6% of Legislative Seats
Fahil ...
... Raqqa to the Syrian government for military reasons, as doing so would eliminate the water barrier that currently forms a line of contact between the two sides and would give the Syrian government a military advantage. This is because there are fewer Kurds in the entire Deir ez-Zor governorate, as well as in the cities of Raqqa and Tabqa. Additionally, it will free the Arab tribes in the two areas from SDF control and serve as a human resource for the government during the conflict.
The SDF refers ...
... might even go out of control, with people flocking to the streets. As a result, Turkey might even descend into political, economic, and security chaos. The Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), his partner, is currently prioritizing reconciliation with the Kurds and is therefore waiting the situation out. Yet there is still no guarantee that the MHP could undermine President Erdogan's plan, for example, by calling early elections.
... ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) has twenty-one, the Kurdish Peoples' Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party) has four, and the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), its partner, has four. This implies that if the ruling coalition agrees with the Kurds and three additional members from smaller parties on the committee, it might obtain a two-thirds majority—31 votes. Therefore, it seems that the government and the opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) may have brokered a deal for the CHP ...
... Baghdad and Erbil now affect the essence of the Iraqi state itself and are no longer merely a Kurdish issue
The strained relationship between Baghdad and Erbil is at the center of the ongoing conflicts in the Iraqi political landscape. In 2005, when the Kurds voluntarily took part in the creation of a new Iraq, this relationship started as a partnership founded on optimism. They believed that the constitution and federalism would secure the rights for which they had long battled and given their lives....
Challenges and Prospects of Disbandment
The
disbandment
of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) on May 12 raised questions about
Turkey's military position
in the Iraqi Kurdistan Region going forward. Analysts
questioned
if PKK members in Iraq's mountainous north will
follow
their central leadership's decision to disband the group. The PKK's
demobilization
in Iraq and the potential
changes
in Ankara, Baghdad, and Erbil relations as a result of this new reality remain uncertain.
PKK Disbandment:...
... less resilient to any external intervention or internal crises.
Kurdish Fears of a Strong Shiite Federal Entity in Iraq
Ruslan Mamedov:
Iraq in the World Dis(Order)
Proposals that uphold the concept of federalism throughout Iraq is beneficial to the
Kurds
since it confirms the validity of their model in Kurdistan and establishes the idea of federal governance as an indisputable fact. However, considering potential challenges, they are cautious about the Shiite federal option.
One of the main obstacles ...
... situation, these actions extended the Turkish-Kurdish conflict. The dominating powers (the West) used a strategy of “running with the hare and hunting with the hounds,” as Abdullah Ocalan clarified in his defense.
Turkey’s Double-Edged Sword: Protect Kurds or Sow Discord?
States in the Middle East understand change is coming their way. This is especially true for the countries involved in the Kurdish crisis—Iraq, Syria, Iran, and Turkey. The winds of change transformed Iraq from a centralized Baathist ...
Policy Brief #47 / 2023
Policy Brief #47 / 2023
The Middle East has been clearly showing signs that is it changing. It would not be an overstatement to say that a lot of what is happening now would have been unthinkable just a couple of years ago.
The greatest of these changes is the China-mediated rapprochement between the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Islamic Republic of Iran. Given that these countries are regional “centers of power”, their new and improved relations may help reduce regional...
