brookings.edu ⎢ Ranj Alaaldin — Friday, October 27, 2017

U.S. relations with its long-standing, historical ally the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) took a hit this month when Iraq’s security forces and the Shiite militias of the Popular Mobilization Force (PMF) launched an offensive against the Peshmerga in the disputed territory of Kirkuk, with U.S. acquiescence. Washington’s tacit support for the offensive stemmed from its policy of upending Iran-aligned factions in Iraq in the forthcoming parliamentary elections, namely by empowering Iraq’s so-called moderate prime minister, Haidar al-Abadi. The idea, as it currently stands in Washington, is that the stronger Abadi looks to the electorate, the greater his chances of winning forthcoming elections. But the elections are a long, volatile, and unpredictable six months away, and it may already be too late to sideline the Iran-aligned factions that dominate the PMF. Those groups are lionized by broad sections of the Shiite community, experiencing a meteoric rise following their role in the war on ISIS. Abadi, who came into office only three years ago without a popular and political base, cannot singlehandedly stop their ascendancy.

nytimes.com | By John McCAIN (*) — October 24, 2017

WASHINGTON — Clashes this month between elements of the Iraqi security forces and Kurdish fighters around Kirkuk are deeply troubling, in particular because of the United States’ longstanding friendship with the Kurdish people. These clashes are also emblematic of a broader, more troubling reality: Beyond our tactical successes in the fight against the Islamic State, the United States is still dangerously lacking a comprehensive strategy toward the rest of the Middle East in all of its complexity.

By Bernard-Henri Lévy | October 21, 2017 6:36 PM

Two years after the Kurds fought against the Islamic State, America turned its back as they sought independence.

Bbc.com

There have been fierce clashes between Kurdish and Iraqi troops north of Kirkuk city, days after the Iraqi army took control of disputed areas.

bloomberg.com | By Eli Lake(*) — 19 octobre 2017

Baghdad and Washington say the invasion has been no big deal. The Kurds beg to differ.

the-american-interest.com | Jonathan Spyer (*) - Published on: October 18, 2017 

Tehran’s strategizing pays off again, as several of its clients strike a deal that undermines Kurdish hopes of independence.

cnn.com | By Kosrat Rasul Ali (*) — 18 Oct 2017

(CNN) Many who follow what is happening in the Middle East will be wondering what's next for the failed former states of Iraq and Syria in a post-ISIS world.

reuters.com | Reuters Staff - October 16, 2017
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States sought on Monday to avoid openly taking sides in an Iraqi-Kurdish dispute, as Iraq’s capture of the Kurdish-held city of Kirkuk raised the risk of an open conflict between U.S. allies in the fight against Islamic State.

washingtonpost.com | By Adam Taylor(*) - October 17

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Tabletmag.com - By Bernard-Henri Lévy

‘We should not have abandoned Kurdistan, the only real pole of stability in the region’