A Delicate Balance: Iraq’s Security Culture Between Iran and the United States

Abstract

Iraq’s leaders are working to modernise its national-security institutions, and to manage the challenges arising from multiple subnational armed groups. The main groups, the Kurdish Peshmerga and the largely Shia Popular Mobilisation Units, or Hashd, are linked to the armed forces, but enjoy considerable autonomy. Iraq also has militias linked to region-wide resistance forces with ties to Iran. The Gaza war has triggered dozens of lethal encounters between these groups and the 2,500 US troops in Iraq, leading Baghdad to renegotiate the terms of security cooperation with Washington. Even if US and NATO forces leave Iraq, the Iraqi government will work to balance its relations with Tehran and Washington. Iraq therefore has a role to play in determining how the region finds a new equilibrium after the Gaza war. Iraq’s emerging security culture also provides an important case study of a country in transition from authoritarian rule.