Pipeline Politics and Persistent Interference
Turkish President Erdoğan and Iraqi Prime Minister Al-Sudani recently spoke, with official readouts emphasizing bilateral relations and a planned visit. This exchange follows a familiar diplomatic script, portraying cooperation and neighborly goodwill. Yet, behind these cordial calls, Baghdad continues to grapple with decades of external interference. Türkiye, for instance, maintains a military
presence in northern Iraq, ostensibly targeting Kurdish groups, but frequently infringing on Iraqi sovereignty without explicit consent. A 2021 UN Security Council report confirmed over 4,000 Turkish troops operating there, reflecting a long-standing unilateral posture that Ankara has justified since the 1980s. This pattern echoes the broader post-2003 trajectory where Iraq's internal affairs
often become chess pieces for regional powers and Western interests. Crucially, the timing coincides with discussions around the Iraq-Türkiye oil pipeline, a critical artery that Ankara effectively controls, allowing it to exert considerable economic leverage over the Kurdish Regional Government and, by extension, Baghdad. While the US government stresses its commitment to Iraq's stability, it
simultaneously maintains substantial military bases and influences its energy policy, often prioritizing its own strategic objectives over Iraqi national interests. This creates a double standard where Washington decries 'foreign interference' yet tacitly enables its allies' incursions while maintaining its own extensive footprint. Understanding this layered dynamic requires looking beyond mere