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Nuri al-Maliki.. Strategic Depth and Mutual Stability
In the midst of rapid political transformations taking place in Iraq, the statements of Mr. Nêçirvan Barzani, President of the Kurdistan Region, emerge as Baghdad being the "strategic depth" for the Kurdistan Region—a political compass reflecting maturity in vision and depth in understanding the nature of the relationship between the center and the region. This vision is not formed in a vacuum but is based on an aware reading of shared history and a common destiny, coupled with a deep understanding that the stability of Iraq as a whole is the true guarantee for the security and stability of Kurdistan.
When the regional president speaks of Baghdad as the strategic depth for Kurdistan, he is not only referring to the administrative or constitutional relationship between the federal capital and the region but also establishing sovereignty based on a deeper concept that includes various interconnected and interrelated dimensions politically, economically, security-wise, and socially.
At the political level, Baghdad represents the decision-making center of Iraq. Any stability or development in Kurdistan cannot be achieved detached from political stability in the capital, as active participation in decision-making in Baghdad means contributing to shaping Iraq’s future in a way that ensures the rights of all its components.
Economically, the link is clear: the federal budget, natural resources, and sustainable development are issues requiring coordination and cooperation between Baghdad and Erbil. This means that the economic prosperity of Kurdistan is inherently linked to the prosperity of Iraq as a whole.
The security dimension takes on particular importance amid threats that do not recognize administrative borders. Terrorism, external interventions, and regional conflicts are challenges that require a unified national security strategy. Baghdad, as the command center of Iraqi security forces, represents the first line of defense for the security of all Iraqis, including the people of Kurdistan.
On the cultural and social level, Iraq, as a country of multiple nationalities, religions, and cultures, carries its true wealth in its diversity. Baghdad, as the capital of all Iraqis, should serve as a model for coexistence and mutual respect among all components.
Therefore, President Nêçirvan Barzani’s vision of Baghdad as the strategic depth for Kurdistan is a call to build a truly federal Iraq a country where Baghdad is the capital for all Iraqis of various nationalities, religions, and sects. Its governance should be based on principles of participation, balance, and consensus, rather than exclusion and marginalization. These goals can only be achieved through genuine partnership in making state decisions and shaping the country’s future, so that every individual and component feels a sense of belonging.
Nouri Bekhali
