The Peshmerga has become a 'National Army'!..

In Barzanistan, which has been state-building step by step since the invasion of Iraq—the first leg of the Greater Middle East Project (BOP)—the process of transforming Peshmerga forces into a “national army” has been completed.

As far as we know, the Iraqi Constitution has not changed. Article 9 of the Constitution includes the phrase “Iraqi Armed Forces” and emphasizes that “no military militia forces shall be formed outside the framework of the armed forces.”

Furthermore, Article 13 of the Constitution states, “This constitution is the supreme law in Iraq and is valid in every region of Iraq without exception. No law may be enacted that contradicts this constitution. Provisions in regional constitutions or other legal documents that conflict with the Iraqi constitution shall be considered invalid.”

Article 110 states that “the formation of the Armed Forces, the determination and implementation of national security policy, including ensuring Iraq's border security and the defense of the country,” are under the authority of the central government.

Article 121 also includes the provision that the “regional government” shall only “meet the need for the establishment and organization of regional security units, primarily including police, security forces, and regional guards.”

All of this means that the Peshmerga is not an “armed force” and does not have the authority for “cross-border” operations.

However, despite this situation, we saw the Peshmerga embark on a “cross-border” operation in 2014 to liberate Kobani from ISIS. And they did so on an October 29th, trampling over Turkish territory!..

The US Project is Complete

As is known, there were two Peshmerga forces in Barzanistan, one affiliated with the KDP and the other with the PUK.

Starting in 2018, the US-led International Coalition prepared a 35-article project to merge these two forces under the guise of “Peshmerga reform.” The memorandum regarding this was signed between the Pentagon and the Ministry of Peshmerga Affairs in 2022.

This project was recently completed, and the two forces have been merged.

While announcing the merger decision, Barzanistan's Minister of Peshmerga Affairs, Shoresh Ismail, described it as a “historic achievement for the Kurdistan region,” stating that “the region has now acquired a modern and unified army under the direct command of the Ministry of Peshmerga Affairs.”

At the ceremony held for the merger, Nechirvan Barzani also emphasized that this step was not just “an administrative reshuffle, but a massive national move toward institutional statehood,” and noted the following:

“We have always said for years: Kurdistan needs a single army, a single ministry, and a single command. That common spirit that united the Peshmerga on the battlefields must today be unified in institutions, decisions, and the chain of command. With this merger, the Peshmerga is no longer the force of any single party; it is the common guarantee of all of Kurdistan, the Kurds, Turkmens, Christians, Yazidis, and Arabs.”

Peshmerga Minister Shoresh Ismail recalled the days when he took to the mountains as a Peshmerga in 1976 and explained:

“Since that day, we have had a lofty dream: to build a unified army that will be the unshakeable fortress of all our people. Our people shed rivers of blood for this cause, and hundreds of thousands of our children sacrificed their lives. Today is the day that sacred trust and the testament of our martyrs have turned into an unshakeable reality. We have overcome all political, administrative, and regional obstacles placed before us with a national will of steel.”

Ismail also explained that the merger process was carried out step by step with the direct participation and supervision of high-level military advisors from the US, UK, Germany, and other allied countries, and that the current structure was not their own proposal, but rather that the allies insisted on gathering all Peshmerga forces under a single military unit.

At the aforementioned ceremony, attended by military advisors from the US-led International Coalition, Nechirvan Barzani and Peshmerga Minister Ismail did not neglect to “express their gratitude to the US, the International Coalition, the UK, Germany, the Netherlands, Italy, and France.”

Preparation to Remove Turkey from Iraq?

While the Peshmerga is being turned into an army in Barzanistan, very different developments are taking place in Iraq.

After the US placed Ali Zeidi in the Prime Minister's seat, it increased its pressure, particularly to bring pro-Iranian militia groups under state control. These groups, however, want to be integrated into the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) without surrendering their weapons and demand that no legal investigations be opened against them.

They also demand the right to unilaterally invalidate the agreement in the event that “a new war against Iran begins.”

As for the part of the issue that concerns Turkey; as is known, Ankara is also holding talks with Iraq for a “terror-free Turkey” project.

The first statement regarding this from the Iraqi side came from the Spokesperson for the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Sabah Numan. Numan reported that talks are being held with Turkey regarding the return of PKK members to Turkey or their departure from Iraq to a location of their choosing.

Iraqi Prime Minister Ali Zeidi, speaking to the New York Times the other day, announced that the Iranian-backed Shiite militias have conditioned their disarmament on the withdrawal of Turkish troops from Iraq alongside US forces, and said that Ankara has conveyed that withdrawal is dependent on the complete liquidation of the PKK's camps and armed presence, and that negotiations with Ankara are ongoing.

What is the picture that emerges when these pieces are put together? It seems that both the land encirclement of Iran is being completed and the foundations for the independence of Barzanistan are being laid!..

Müyesser YILDIZ

September 24, 2026