The international community still supports unity for Iraq. But reality on the ground is dramatically different: Iraq is unified in name only. Its potential fragmentation presents a major policy challenge. This report addresses one aspect of that challenge—the move by Iraqi Kurds toward independence. The international community does not yet support Iraqi Kurdistan’s independence, but it should not stand in the way of a sizeable and coherent national community expressing its right to self-determination. This report recommends measures to manage Iraqi Kurdistan’s current challenges and potential independence. Recommendations are offered to the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG), the Government of Iraq (GOI), and other members of the international community.
