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Iran and the United States are in a tug of war for influence over Iraq. Where does this leave the Kurdistan Region – a friend of the Americans geographically sandwiched between Baghdad and Tehran?
“If Baghdad decides to kick us out, we will treat Iraq like we treat Syria,” said Middle East analyst and senior fellow at the Hudson Institute Michael Pregent, referring to non-binding legislation in the Iraqi parliament to expel American forces from Iraq. The US wants to stay in Iraq to fight the Islamic State (ISIS) and will look for friendly soil from where they can do that, namely regions controlled by Kurdish allies, he argued.
Strengthening bonds with Kurds, Sunnis, and anti-government protesters, Washington will be “carving out parts of Iraq where the US can still inject stimulus, can inject economic aid to a government that’s of the people and not for Tehran. And Kurdistan will play a major part in that. Erbil is built for this. The KRG [Kurdistan Regional Government] is built for this,” said Pregent.
“If Baghdad decides to kick us out, we will treat Iraq like we treat Syria,” said Middle East analyst and senior fellow at the Hudson Institute Michael Pregent, referring to non-binding legislation in the Iraqi parliament to expel American forces from Iraq. The US wants to stay in Iraq to fight the Islamic State (ISIS) and will look for friendly soil from where they can do that, namely regions controlled by Kurdish allies, he argued.
Strengthening bonds with Kurds, Sunnis, and anti-government protesters, Washington will be “carving out parts of Iraq where the US can still inject stimulus, can inject economic aid to a government that’s of the people and not for Tehran. And Kurdistan will play a major part in that. Erbil is built for this. The KRG [Kurdistan Regional Government] is built for this,” said Pregent.
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