2025/06/20 by Farhang Faraydoon Mohammed Salih · 2 voices
Social Sciences · Economics, Econometrics and Finance · #Post-Soviet Geopolitical Dynamics #Global Peace and Security Dynamics #Economic Sanctions and International Relations
paper · doi:10.1080/08850607.2025.2502795
openalex publication_date 2025/06/20 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/06/13
The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) has historically acted as a de facto State Department for the U.S. government in areas where formal diplomatic relations were not established. This was the case with the agency’s relations with the Iraqi Kurds. The Kurds first contacted the United States through the CIA. The CIA’s intelligence collection with the Kurds has mainly involved human intelligence (HUMINT). Nevertheless, these political and intelligence-focused interactions created uncertainty when the agency’s relationships with the Kurds were transferred to the State Department. This study is divided into two main sections. First, it explores how the CIA and the Kurds established relations, and sheds light on their current relationship. This helps explain the recent developments that have been overlooked in existing literature. Second, it delves into the HUMINT operations that have taken place in Iraqi Kurdistan, aimed at combating both state and nonstate actors. Finally, the article examines a policy issue faced by the CIA and the Kurds. Washington’s recent top-down strategy in the Kurdistan region of Iraq that primarily deals with the Kurdistan Regional Government has led some Kurdish factions to align themselves with America’s adversaries. At its essence, the issues could be linked to the nature of the CIA and the State Department. The first has a bottom-up approach, appealing to formal state institutions, while the latter has a top-down strategy, appealing to both formal and informal groups within a state. This dualism is also reflected across the Middle East, where the United States is present. For instance, a government like the one in Baghdad has friendly relations with Washington, yet groups within its borders are launching rockets at American military bases.