The US Should Use its Leverage over the KRG

The KRG is desperately calling on the US to use its leverage over the Iranian-influenced Iraqi government to promote reconciliation between Erbil and Baghdad. The US however is in no hurry to do so with an anonymous US official reportedly pointing out that the PUK and KDP statelets cannot even integrate between themselves. The US should demand that the KDP integrates with the PUK and reconciles with the PYD. The most important task is to integrate the two peshmerga forces into a single command and control structure. If the KRG wants a deal with Baghdad then the KDP must integrate with the PUK militarily and reconcile diplomatically with AANES. The de facto independent, staunchly pro-American KRG is an important US ally but there should be no free lunches. The US should help the Kurds provided that the Kurds also help themselves and thus reinforce US interests in the region.