British MP emphasized; The US withdrawal from Erbil is an opportunity to use the internal capacities of the Kurdistan Region

According to KurdPress, Lord Ashcroft, a member of the British House of Lords, wrote in a note in the Conservative Home magazine that the complete withdrawal of American forces from Iraq, although it has increased the security threats against the Kurdistan Region, could lead Erbil to strengthen its internal capacities, increase its ability to act independently and expand regional relations.Ashcroft, who recently traveled to Erbil, considered the withdrawal of the last US troops and military equipment from the Erbil air base on September 30 to be the official end of Operation Inherent Resolve in Iraq. He wrote that the withdrawal took place in a situation where the Kurdistan Region continues to face the threat of ISIS and drone and missile attacks.

According to Ashcroft, Masoud Barzani, leader of the Kurdistan Democratic Party, believes that the threat of ISIS has not ended and that the group's return is still possible, given that drones have become one of the main tools of war. He also referred to drone and missile attacks against the region, writing that since the start of the US-Israeli war with Iran in February this year, more than a thousand drones and missiles have hit the Kurdistan Region.

Ashcroft considered the withdrawal of the US Patriot and C-ROM systems one of the most important consequences of the withdrawal of US forces.According to him, the regional government does not have control over Iraqi airspace and cannot independently purchase advanced air defense systems, a problem that has increasingly shifted the responsibility for protecting the region’s airspace to Baghdad.

He also wrote that Kurdish leaders are concerned about the security vacuum that will be created after the US withdrawal. Masrour Barzani also told Ashcroft that the experience of the US withdrawal from Iraq in 2011 showed that a power vacuum could pave the way for increased Iranian influence.

Despite these concerns, Ashcroft believes that the Kurdistan Region will have to rely more than ever on its domestic capabilities and ability to provide security and protect its interests.He referred to the multi-year reforms of the Peshmerga forces and the regional government’s announcement of the creation of a unified command structure for forces affiliated with the Kurdistan Democratic Party and the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan, calling it part of an effort to strengthen the region’s security structure.

According to the British House of Lords member, increasing domestic capabilities is not limited to the military sphere, and the region can also increase its maneuvering power by expanding diplomatic and economic relations with countries in the region. He considered Turkey and Syria important in this context, and referred to the peace process between Turkey and the Kurdistan Workers’ Party, as well as the agreement between the Syrian Democratic Forces and Damascus.

Ashcroft wrote that Nechirvan Barzani, the president of the Kurdistan Region, has emphasized the need for pragmatism and the use of diplomacy to protect the region’s interests.In his view, Turkey’s increased role in the regional security equation could also strengthen Ankara’s position as an important regional security partner in the future.

Ashcroft concluded by writing that the independence of the Kurdistan Region remains out of reach under the current circumstances, but the US withdrawal could push Erbil towards increasing its “power to act independently.” He believes that the Kurdistan Region has the capacity, experience, and will to strengthen its capabilities and can use this opportunity to increase its internal capacity and maintain its position in the region, rather than relying solely on foreign support.