Kurdish Policy Analysis

  By Dr. Pshtiwan Faraj The Hidden Cost of the Iran War: Leaked Pentagon Figures Raise Questions Over U.S. Casualty Reporting Reports of 18 U.S. Troops Killed and Hundreds Wounded Spark Debate Over Transparency, Military Readiness, and the Human Cost of the Conflict Leaked Pentagon casualty figures have renewed debate over transparency in the Iran conflict, as reports indicate rising U.S. troop casualties and delayed reporting of battlefield injuries. As the U.S. military campaign against Iran intensifies, a new controversy has emerged—not over battlefield strategy, but over whether the American public is receiving a complete picture of the war's human cost. According to reports based on leaked Pentagon information, the conflict has resulted in 18 American service members killed and at least 447 wounded , with the total number of casualties potentially rising as delayed medical diagnoses are recorded. The reports have reignited long-standing questions about how the Pentagon comm...

  By Dr. Pshtiwan Faraj   The Pentagon has identified the two U.S. soldiers killed during an Iranian attack in Jordan, a development that marks another dangerous milestone in the escalating confrontation between Washington and Tehran. The fallen service members were identified as 19-year-old Private Isabella Gonzales and 25-year-old First Lieutenant Tyler James Feehan , both serving in U.S. Army Air Defense units stationed in Europe and the United States before their deployment to the Middle East. Their deaths are more than a tragic battlefield loss. They represent a significant political and strategic turning point in a conflict that is rapidly expanding beyond proxy warfare into increasingly direct military confrontation. From Proxy Conflict to Direct Confrontation For years, tensions between the United States and Iran were largely managed through indirect means—proxy groups, economic sanctions, cyber operations, and limited military exchanges. That strategic ambiguit...

By Dr. Pshtiwan Faraj Sulaimani, Iraqi Kurdistan — 31 May 2026  Despite escalating regional conflict, shipping disruptions, and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, Iraq continues to safeguard food security through alternative trade routes, with a major U.S. rice shipment arriving via Jordan's Aqaba Port. A shipment carrying 44,000 tons of US rice designated for Iraq arrived at Jordan's Aqaba Port on Sunday despite shipping disruptions and maritime restrictions affecting regional trade routes, Iraq's Ministry of Trade stated. Lama Hashem Al-Moussawi, Director General of the State Company for Foodstuff Trading, noted that the company continues to implement its 2026 distribution plan for the food basket and social welfare programs, ensuring the uninterrupted supply of essential food items.  She added that “the company is closely monitoring shipping and unloading operations while coordinating with relevant authorities to ensure the timely delivery of supplies to warehouses a...

  Dr. Pshtiwan Faraj  , Sulaimani, Iraq, 02 May , 2026 --  The tribal foundations of Jordan's monarchy are under unprecedented strain, exposing the fragility of one of Washington's most important Arab allies.  Middle Eastern monarchies rarely collapse from foreign invasion. They collapse when the tribes stop believing. For more than a century, Jordan's Hashemite monarchy rested on a straightforward bargain: the Palace provided security, stability, and respect for tribal interests; the tribes provided absolute loyalty, military manpower, and political legitimacy.  That bargain now appears under extraordinary pressure. A formal letter reportedly delivered by leading tribal councils has raised questions about King Abdullah II 's standing among Jordan's traditional power base. The symbolism alone is remarkable. In Jordan, tribal discontent is never just political. It is existential. The Foundation of Hashemite Rule Jordan is not merely a monarchy; it is a tribal...

       Baghdad halts discounted crude shipments amid contract disputes and regional turmoil, raising fears of economic and political fallout Sulaimani, Iraq, 28 March Kurdish Policy Analysis - Iraq has suspended crude oil exports to Jordan for a second consecutive month, underscoring mounting strains in bilateral energy ties and the broader instability gripping the region’s oil sector. The halt is linked primarily to the failure to renew a supply agreement between Baghdad and Amman, according to reporting by Shafaq News . The deal had allowed Jordan to import Iraqi crude at preferential prices, typically transported by tanker trucks from northern fields. Under previous arrangements, Iraq supplied up to 15,000 barrels per day—covering a notable share of Jordan’s energy needs. However, with the memorandum of understanding expiring and no immediate renewal approved, shipments have now been paused for weeks, extending into a second month. Contract Deadlock and Strategi...