Iraq: A Unified Kurdish Army?

Kurdish Regional Government President Massoud Barzani has announced his intention to establish a unified Kurdish army in Iraq's semi-autonomous Kurdish region. Combining Kurdistan Democratic Party and Patriotic Union of Kurdistan forces will not be an easy task, but Iraq's Kurdish leaders have a strategic imperative to band together in dealing with their Arab rivals in the Iraqi central government. The Kurdish proposal signals a potential revival of militia building in Iraq, which carries significant implications for the U.S. exit strategy.