American officials tend to lionize Iraqi Kurdistan, and not without reason. Iraqi Kurdistan has, for more than two decades, been stable and relatively secure. And while its claims to be democratic are a bit exaggerated, its transformation in a relatively short period of time is astounding.That said,...
Commentary by Hayri Demir, translated from EzidiPress GermanOne year ago, the terrorist militia Islamic State overran the major area of settlement of the Yezidi minority Shingal in northern Iraq. The caliphate´s henchmen crushed village by village, perpetrated one massacre after another against the helpless...
In the past few weeks, there has been a great deal of talk, agreements as well as disagreements, about whether or not Massoud Barzani should remain in office for another two years. Some people/politicians want Barzani to remain at his post while others are adamant about having Barzani step down once...
In May last year, who in the West had heard of the “Peshmerga”? Wasn’t that a kind of scarf? No, the BBC, CNN and Sky News told us, these were warriors for freedom, brave Kurds, rallying against the ISIS threat when the Iraqi army had fled in disarray. Even Marie Claire, the woman’s lifestyle magazine,...
Iraqi Kurdish regional President Masoud Barzani speaks during a news conference with German Defence Minister Ursula von der Leyen (not pictured) in Arbil, north of Baghdad, September 25, 2014. ReutersOn Sunday, May 3, Iraqi Kurdish leader Masoud Barzani will begin a weeklong visit to Washington where...
Iraqi Kurdistan might be the toast of town today. With at least four separate lobby firms and a multimillion dollar budget, it continues to promote itself as stable, secure, and democratic; an oasis of sanity in an insane region. The reality is more nuanced.Kurdistan is stable, but security is based...
Iraq’s Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) under the auspices of President Masoud Barzani has been undertaking a full-court press of lobbying in Washington in order to get direct provision of weaponry. The KRG has hired at least four lobbying firms, spending several million dollars, and has leveraged...
ichael Rubin | American Enterprise Institute for Public Policy ResearchOn Sunday, May 3, Iraqi Kurdish leader Masoud Barzani will begin a weeklong visit to Washington where he will meet with President Barack Obama. Barzani’s visit comes as the Islamic State (ISIS, ISIL, Daesh) continues to threaten...
There’s an unfortunate tendency among some emerging markets to treat foreign direct investment like a personal or collective slush fund. Investors recognize it’s a risk, and pull out when leaders work in concert with corrupt judges and officials in order to fleece businessmen or change the law to disadvantage...