🔶 U.S. exits Iraq; the Kurds and the new hard test for the Middle East

🔻 A report by Hope Beren

With the end of the presence of the international coalition’s military forces led by the United States in Iraq, a new page is being turned in the geopolitical equations of the Middle East. This development was met with approval by Ali al-Zaidi, Iraq’s prime minister. On this occasion, he named October 1 “the Day of Sovereignty and Independence.” The Iranian government, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, and Shiite militias backed by Tehran also welcomed this.

But for the Kurdistan Region—which has benefited over the past two decades from Washington’s support umbrella—this event is seen as a serious warning. Erbil now finds itself in the grip of a web of interwoven crises: from unprecedented pressures from the central government for centralization and control over resources, to growing security threats from neighboring countries.

Many observers believe that the main danger for the Kurdistan Region after the coalition’s military mission ends is not a direct military clash; rather, it is the gradual erosion of its political and economic power.

Hashtags: ["DW Farsi"]