New book points to interactive US - Iraqi-Kurd relations

New book points to interactive US - Iraqi-Kurd relations Erbil, Nov. 13 (AKnews) – A book published by the British publishing house Routledge on US-Kurdish relations says that the US has an interactive rapport with Iraqi-Kurdistan, the "first non-state actor" to influence American foreign policy. "The Kurds and the US Foreign Policy" by Dr. Marianna Charountaki looks in detail at US-Kurdish relations and analyzes their influence on American, Middle-Eastern and global politics, from World War II up to the third Gulf War. Charountaki tries to answer the twofold question of whether the Kurds have had any influence on American foreign policy, and whether such a relationship can exist between a state and a non-state actor. "I believe that the Kurdish issue plays a significant role and may be formative in regional politics" says the writer, "Usually, we see state powers affected by state powers, but in the case of the Kurds, we see a non-state actor, affect, and interact with, an international state power. "The book states clearly the existence of an interactive and institutionalized (US) relationship with the Kurds of Iraq.. whereas this is the first time to see that a non-state actor such as (Iraqi) Kurdistan can play such an important role in the foreign policy of the US" said Charountaki. According to Charountaki, most of the previous books on Kurds have employed a sociological or anthropological approach rather than a political analysis, especially from an International Relations perspective. The recent development of Kurds in Iraq, the ongoing PKK issue and the re-emergence of the Kurdish issue in Syria reminded the world of the importance of the Kurds in the Middle East, the books notes. Charountaki is expected to stage a presentation of her book in Erbil in February, and her book is expected to be translated and published by the Aras Printing & Publishing House, the publishers of AKnews. Raber Y. Aziz Saturday, November 13th 2010 3:04 PM