شیكردنەوەیه‌كی جیۆسیاسی بۆ پێگەی كورد لە عێراق 2017 - 2023 (لێكۆڵینه‌وه‌یه‌ك له‌ جوگرافیای سیاسی)

Abstract

This research, titled (A Geopolitical Analysis of the Kurdish Position in Iraq 2017-2023) provides a scientific evaluation of the radical changes in the Kurdistan Region's status following the independence referendum and the events of October 16, 2017. The study highlights the transition of the Region from a period of hegemony and geographical expansion (2014-2017) to a stage of retreat and defense of its constitutional entity. The research analyzes three main directions: First, the geographical and military retreat that led to the loss of approximately 40% of the territory previously under the control of the Peshmerga forces, particularly Kirkuk and the disputed areas. Second, the shift in Baghdad's conflict strategy toward the Region from military confrontation to legal and financial warfare, in which the Federal Court and budget issues have been used as tools to undermine the Region's economic independence. Third, the new geopolitical threats emerging from strategic projects such as the Development Road and the Ovaköy Border Crossing, which aim to isolate the Region from international and commercial equations. Ultimately, the study reveals that internal fragmentation (the division between the yellow and green zones) and regional interventions have had a profound negative impact on weakening the Kurdish negotiating position in Baghdad. It recommends that unifying the national discourse and adhering to the constitution are the only ways to protect the Kurdistan Region's entity during this high-risk phase.