After the Islamic State’s rapid advance, tensions in Nineveh, an area of strategic importance for Turkish leaders, are on the rise. Turkey’s influence in Nineveh stems primarily from its relationship with three political parties: The Iraqi Islamic Party, Muttahidoon, whose leader, Osama al Nujaifi, is also one of Iraq’s three ceremonial vice-presidents, and the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP). Turkey also has its share of detractors in Nineveh, including: the Kurdistan Workers’ Party, the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan Party, and a slew of Shia militias.
In this episode of the Turkey Wonk Podcast, Aaron speaks with Kirk Sowell, the principal of Uticensis Risk Services and publisher of Inside Iraqi Politics, about the situation in Nineveh, the PYD-PKK relationship with displaced Yazidis, Turkey’s potential role in the region to support the forthcoming Mosul operation, and Ankara’s relationship with Iraqi Prime Minister, Haider al-Abadi.
Links:
- Inside Iraqi Politics
- Humpty Dumpty in Kurdistan | Foreign Policy by Kirk Sowell
- Turkey’s New Foreign Policy: Davutoglu, the AKP and the Pursuit of Regional Order – Amazon.com by Aaron Stein
- Subscribe to the podcast in iTunes
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