In order to support the Iraqi Kurds against the blitzkrieg and brutality of the Islamic State (IS), some European states with EU backing are now following the example of the US in providing military support to the Kurdish Regional Government (KRG). But important questions remain about the KRG's political foundation. Given a dysfunctional Iraq, and a fully functioning terrorist organization with a transnational vision operating there, Western decision-makers have good reason to assess the stability of their new partner in the region. The KRG faces internal pressures as it seeks to fend off the IS and position itself for future independence.
Paasche, Erlend (2014) Iraqi Kurdistan: Partner Under Pressure, PRIO Policy Brief, 4. Oslo: PRIO.
