It can be argued that Kurdistan’s regional government (KRG) was ill advised to hold a referendum last week on creating an independent state. Any suggestion that Barzani was out on a limb was comprehensively refuted by the referendum result. More seriously, Abadi has joined Turkey and Iran in attempting to blockade KRG territory, including the halting of international flights. Now Abadi, an ostensible western ally, is again on the verge of inviting Iran in to help resolve an Iraqi problem. The Kurds of northern Iraq have proved loyal allies of the western powers since the era of Saddam Hussein.

Source: The Guardian September 30, 2017 23:03 UTC