Iraqi Kurds and Iraq's Future

Iraqi Kurds have a stake in the new Iraq and still believe that their gamble with controversial American policy has paid off for them and for all Iraqis. Today's Kurdish leaders, some of whom may have long careers as Iraqi politicians, seem to believe that for their generation, the costs of a secession that does not have regional support are too high. Moreover, the challenge for the international community will be to help the Kurds balance their two identities, to provide incentives to remain part of Iraq, and, should the idea of Iraq slip away, to help Kurds and the Arabs manage a transition to a different outcome. Here, Barkey and Laipson detail Kurds' political fortunes and demonstrated willingness to work for a unified Iraq state.