Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

Welcome! Log in to stay connected and make the most of your experience.

Input clean

The Kurds Can Fight: Now They Need to Govern

Iraqi Kurdistan has been relatively stable in an otherwise troubled region. Unhappy with Iraq as their home, Kurds have fought successive Iraqi regimes since being annexed to the new state in 1926. The war against ISIS has produced a new crop of young military commanders, emboldened both by their bravery and international military support. Yes, the Kurds can fight, but can they govern as efficiently? The next generation of leaders should not just be picked on the basis of its war record, but instead for its ability to fight “the other war” against lack of economic opportunity and development. 

Kurdistan’s governing record pales in comparison to its fighting record. The semi-autonomous Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) emerged from elections held in 1992, in a Kurdish safe haven provided by the international community. The leaders chosen in the first Kurdish election derived their legitimacy from having fought the Baath Party. Freedom fighters were rewarded with significant government positions, such as city mayorships and hospital manager positions.

Keep reading...Show less
Access all of The Cipher Brief’s national security-focused expert insight by becoming a Cipher Brief Subscriber+ Member.

Related Articles

Dead Drop: June 20

IT ONLY TOOK 116 YEARS: The British Secret Intelligence Service better known as MI6 will soon be headed by its first-ever female chief when Blaise [...] More
How Resilient is the Energy Market in Midst of Middle East Crisis?

How Resilient is the Energy Market in Midst of Middle East Crisis?

EXCLUSIVE EXPERT PERSPECTIVE -- One would have thought that the outbreak of a major war between Iran and Israel with daily missile salvos, would have [...] More

Report for Friday, June 20, 2025

9:22 America/New York Friday, June 20 [...] More

The Next War Won’t Target Cities, It Will Target Choke Points.

OPINION — In the age of strategic disruption, critical infrastructure is both the terrain and the target. The West’s optimization of systems for [...] More

Report for Thursday, June 19, 2025

9:51 America/New York Thursday, June 19 [...] More

The Rampant Leadership Corruption Plaguing China and Russia

OPINION — In March 2025 the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) published an unclassified report on “Wealth and Corrupt Activities [...] More
Hitting the Panic Button on Rare Earth Minerals

Hitting the Panic Button on Rare Earth Minerals

Rare Earth minerals might not be at the top of your panic list today but when it comes to U.S. national security, it’s an issue that has the [...] More

Amid Crisis, A Lesser-Told Story of US-Iran Similarities Holds Some Hope

OPINION — As experts studiously debate what the latest Israel-Iran fighting will lead to, including a possible Iranian collapse, one enduring but [...] More

Report for Wednesday, June 18, 2025

9:04 America/New York Wednesday, June 18 [...] More