The process of forging a lasting political structure in Iraq will be hard, tedious, and disappointing. Nowhere is this reality more apparent than in the Kurdish regions of northern Iraq. Two weeks ago the Kurdish parliament approved a new constitution that formalizes the Kurd's longstanding geographical claims.
This move is the most recent in a series audacious attempts by the KRG to push the limits of Kurdish autonomy. For an excellent review of these developments, check out the International Crisis Group's report "Iraq and the Kurds: Trouble Along the Trigger Line."
In an ironic twist, Obama recently selected VP Joe Biden as his point man on Iraq. As many of you may remember during the presidential primary, Biden favored Peter Galbraith's dubious proposal that Iraq should be divided into three distinct regions. During his recent trip to Baghdad, Biden had to eat his words and criticize the Kurd's recent moves as "not helpful."
Thankfully there is a silver lining. Recent reports indicate that Turkish-Kurdish relations remain stable despite Erbil's territorial ambitions, largely because of common economic interests.
