Sub-state actors and foreign policy risk-taking: The Kurdistan Regional Government of Iraq

The analysis presented here offers a possible framework for understanding when sub-state actors behave prudently and more strategically in their foreign relations, and when other priorities might instead heighten the chances of seemingly irrational, erratic, or dangerous, foreign policies. Using a case study of the Kurdistan Regional Government of Iraq to illustrate the argument, the author attempts to show how “regime consolidation” plays a key role in allowing such actors to prioritise policies aimed at grappling with external challenges, threats and opportunities. Internally legitimate, consolidated regimes can better present “one face” to the outside world and behave more strategically in the international arena. Political systems lacking consolidation or internal legitimacy, in contrast, turn to the external environment in search of resources to help them with domestic threats and challenges. This may lead to seemingly erratic, unpredictable and risky foreign policies on their part. Abstract in Kurmanji Aktoren bin-dewleti u girtina risken siyaseta derve: Hikumeta Herema Kurdistane ya Iraqe Analiza ku li vir hatiye peskeskirin carcoveyeke muhtemel ji bo fehmkirina demen ku aktoren bin-dewleti di tekiliyen xwe yen derve de bi hisyari u stratejik tevdigerin u demen di dewse de peskiyen din sansen siyaseta derve yen xeternak, guherbar u irrasyonel didine ber xwe. Bi bikaranina minaka Hikumeta Herema Kurdistane ya Iraqe niviskar hewl dide ku nisan bide ka cawa “xurtkirina rejime” roleke sereki dilize di desturdana van aktoran de ku pesekiye bidin politikayen ku bi dijwari, tehdit u talukeyen derve bigre. Rejimen di hundir de mesru u xurt dikarin bastir “ruyeki” nisane cihana derve bidin u di qada navneteweyi de behtir stratejik tevbigerin. Le bele sistemen siyasi yen ne xurt u di hundir de ne mesru ji bere xwe didin derdora derve di legerina cavkaniyan de da ku alikariya wan bikin ji bo taluke u zehmetiyen hundirin. Ev dikare bibe sedem ku ew politikayen derveyi yen birisk, netexminbar u hevnegir en bercav bigrin ji aliye xwe ve. Abstract in Sorani Ektere dewllete lawekeyyekan u xoleqerey metrisi dani syaseti derewe: hkumeti heremi kurdistani ‘erraq Ew sikaryaney lereda amadekrawn , cwarceweyeki guncaw peskes dekat bo tegeyistin lewey le katekda ektere dewllete lawekiyekan beseweyeki wiryayane u sitratijyanetir le peywendiyekani derewey xoyanda hellsukewt deken, we katekis ewlewiyetekani tir renge sansi ewey le rukesda wek syaseti dereki na'eqllani, namo, yan trisnak derdekewet berizbkatewe. Hkumeti heremi kurdistani 'eraq wek keysi twejinewe bekarhatuwe bo runkirdnewey ew argumentey ke nuser hewll dedat nisani bdat con “ptewkirdni rjem” rolleki sereki debinet le regedan bew core ekterane bo ewey ew syasetane bkate ewlewiyet ke amanc ley berberekaney allingariy u herese u derfete drekiyekane. Ew rjemaney ke ser'iyeti nawxoyyan heye u cespawn bastir detwanin “yek ruiy” pisani dinyay derewe bken u le meydani newdewlletisda sitratijyanetir hellsukewt bken. Bepecewanewe, ew sisteme syasyaney ke necespawn u ser'iyeti nawxoyyan kurtidenet, le gerran bedway sercawekanda ru le jingey dereki deken bo ewey yarmetiyan bda le herrese u allingariye nawxoyyekan. Eme lewaneye wabkat ke ew syasete derekiyaney ke be namo, pesbini nekraw u metrisidar derdekewn le terefi ewanewe bet. Abstract in Zazaki Faile bindewletki u riskgeriya siyasete teberi: Hukmate Hereme Kurdistani ye Iraqi No analize tiyayi seba fehmkerdise wexte ke faile bindewletkiyi tekiliyane xo ye teberi de bitedbir u hina zaf stratejik hereket kene u wexto ke herinda ci de prioriteye bini asayis ra gore ihtimale politikayane teberi ye bemantiq, beqerar yan zi xeternakan kene zede, ci re carcewayeka potansiyele peskes keno. Bi xebata nimuneyi ye Hukmate Hereme Kurdistani ye Iraqi no arguman nisan diyeno. Nustox wazeno bimusno ke “konsolidasyone rejimi” seni roleko sereke geno ke tede kerdoxane winasiyan re destur diyeno ke politikayane xo ye careserkerdise zehmeti, tehdid u imkanane teberi prioritize bikere. Eke zere de mesru ye, rejime kondolidekerdeyi eskene xo bi “yew ri” teber re bimusne u sahneya miyanneteweyiye de hina zaf stratejik hereket bikere. Heto bin ra, sisteme siyasiyi ke tede konsolidasyon yan zi mesruiyete zereyi cin e, e xo carnene doruvere xo ye teberi ke seba helkerdise tehdid u zehmetiyane zereyi ro cimeyan bigere. No seba inan beno ke bibo sebebe politikayane teberi ye beqerar, nevervinbar u rizikodaran.