This is a really big deal, but I wonder if our Trump-obsessed news media will pay much attention.
For years common wisdom has said that the Pesh Merga is the toughest/most competent fighting force in Iraq. When the U.S. trained Iraqi national army crumbled and fled from the rising Islamic State, the Pesh Merga fought back and (mostly) held their borders against ISIS's expansion. They also seized Kirkuk from the Iraqi central government when those troops left and kept the city from the Islamic State. Now the Iraqi Army is trying to take Kirkuk back. So far it looks like Iraqi forces are taking over the city without a big fight. But if the Kurds decide to hit back, it is not clear that the Iraqi army would be able to win.
As Juan Cole says, this is probably would not have happened if the U.S. president was paying any attention to stuff that isn't covered on Fox and Friends. But he isn't, so we have a new conflict in Northern Iraq.
For years common wisdom has said that the Pesh Merga is the toughest/most competent fighting force in Iraq. When the U.S. trained Iraqi national army crumbled and fled from the rising Islamic State, the Pesh Merga fought back and (mostly) held their borders against ISIS's expansion. They also seized Kirkuk from the Iraqi central government when those troops left and kept the city from the Islamic State. Now the Iraqi Army is trying to take Kirkuk back. So far it looks like Iraqi forces are taking over the city without a big fight. But if the Kurds decide to hit back, it is not clear that the Iraqi army would be able to win.
As Juan Cole says, this is probably would not have happened if the U.S. president was paying any attention to stuff that isn't covered on Fox and Friends. But he isn't, so we have a new conflict in Northern Iraq.
