Kirkuk: Asking the Next Big Questions

The significance of the Iraqi Security Forces (ISF) effort to seize critical infrastructure in Kirkuk and to reassert federal control over the city stretches far beyond Iraq. The fight for the multi-ethnic city touches upon dozens of fault lines dividing not only Iraq but the entire Middle East. Because of this, the seizure of the city threatens to evoke earthquakes, whose tremors will be felt far and wide. As the shock of the initial invasion fades and as those involved begin to stage their responses, we'll be watching the following developments closely....