World Powers and the Fate of the Iraqi Kurds: Geopolitical Instability, the Emergence of the Kurdistan Region in Iraq, and Its Survival

The article examines the influence of global powers on the situation of the Kurds in Iraq from the end of World War I to the present. Given the limited research on this subject, the paper evaluates the hypothesis that superpowers have played a decisive role in shaping the status of the Kurdish people. Employing the author’s methodology, which is based on the Index of Geopolitical Relations Stability (IGRS), the study traces the evolution of international politics – from British-French domination through the Cold War era to the period of American hegemony. The analysis highlights significant historical events and investigates the impact of global powers on the policies of regional states (Iran, Turkey, Syria, and Iraq) concerning the Kurdish question. The findings confirm the pivotal role of superpowers in determining the extent of Kurdish autonomy and underscore the critical importance of economic factors, particularly control over oil fields. This study offers valuable insights into the mechanisms shaping the international position of non-state actors within a system dominated by global powers.