A Difficult Balancing Act: Backing the Kurds in the fight against IS in Iraq and Syria

As Islamic State’s rapid annexation of large swathes ofIraq and Syria unfolds, the plight of the region’s statelessKurds is thrust into the international spotlight, asthe Kurds steadily gain stature as the primary bulwarkagainst further IS expansion. The Kurdish forces nowprovide the necessary boots on the ground in the frameworkof Operation Inherent Resolve. However, the strongbacking of the Kurds presents a number of challengesand difficult balancing acts for Western and regionalactors.