About the Peshmerga unification: How Can We Have an Army?

Dr. Pshtiwan Faraj How can Kurdish society build a modern army while balancing history, politics, technology, civil authority, and the Peshmerga's legacy? This may appear to be a straightforward institutional question, but it is not. The question of how to create an army in the Kurdistan Region is ultimately a question about political authority, social organization, historical experience, technology, and the relationship between the state and the forces that defend it. At the most basic level, there are two ways of thinking about this problem. We might call them thin theories and deep theories. Thin theory assumes that institutions can be separated from the societies that produce them. Under this approach, armies are broadly comparable institutions that can be constructed according to common models in different places. The assumption is that what works in one environment can, with sufficient administrative effort, be reproduced somewhere else. A similar logic is particularly domina...
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Baghdad’s Air Defense Push: Iraq Moves to Secure Its Skies and Borders Amid Regional Turbulence

 


By Dr. Pshtiwan Faraj

Sulaimani, Iraqi Kurdistan — 31 May 2026 

Baghdad has reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening air defense capabilities, securing national borders, and enforcing state sovereignty as Iraq confronts growing regional security challenges. The strategy highlights border surveillance, airspace control, and efforts to consolidate security under state authority.

Baghdad reaffirmed that no actor will be allowed to undermine Iraq’s stability, as military officials highlighted strengthened border security and expanded air defense capabilities.

spokesperson for the Commander-in-Chief of the Iraqi Armed Forces on Friday delivered a forceful message on national sovereignty and internal stability, declaring that Baghdad will not allow any party to threaten the country’s security or disrupt its path toward reconstruction and development.


Sabah al-Numan, said Iraq is moving to establish “complete sovereignty” over the country’s airspace while maintaining heightened security preparedness along its borders.


In remarks to the Iraqi News Agency on Friday, al-Numan stated that Iraq’s borders — particularly its western frontier — are being fully secured through advanced surveillance systems and the highest levels of operational readiness.


Speaking about the protection of Iraqi airspace, al-Numan reiterated that the government is pursuing what he described as a comprehensive strategic vision aimed at strengthening air defense capabilities and enforcing full national sovereignty over the country’s skies.


He emphasized that Iraq now holds the initiative in maintaining security and “will under no circumstances allow any side to threaten its stability or undermine the security, reconstruction, and development achieved through the sacrifices of heroic martyrs.”


The remarks come as Iraqi officials continue to underscore the authority of the state over security and sovereignty matters amid ongoing regional tensions.


The latest statements also align with broader messages issued by Iraq’s leadership during Eid al-Adha gatherings in Baghdad.


Earlier on Friday, Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi reaffirmed the government’s determination to place all weapons under the exclusive authority of the state during a meeting with tribal leaders and public figures, according to local news agency Kurdistan 24.


According to a statement from the prime minister’s office, al-Zaidi stressed that the government would not permit any violation of the rule of law or Iraqi sovereignty.


The Iraqi premier linked the weapons control campaign to wider state priorities, including combating corruption, strengthening sovereignty, and expanding Iraq’s regional and international relations in line with national interests.


The Iraqi government’s renewed emphasis on border security, weapons control, and air defense reflects a broader effort to project state authority while preserving stability and reconstruction efforts across the country.


Al-Numan’s remarks underscored that Baghdad views security and sovereignty as central pillars in protecting what Iraqi officials describe as the country’s ongoing recovery and development trajectory.

#Iraq #Baghdad #AirDefense #NationalSecurity #BorderSecurity #MiddleEast #IraqPolitics #DefenseStrategy #RegionalSecurity #MilitaryAffairs #IraqSovereignty #Geopolitics #KurdishPolicyAnalysis #MiddleEastSecurity #StrategicAffairs

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