Turkey's Securitization of the "Development Road" Project: Understanding Iraq's Puzzling Acquiescence

The "Development Road" project is a pivotal developmental and geostrategic endeavor that Iraq eagerly seeks to accomplish. This ambitious initiative aims to establish an efficient route connecting the Gulf to Europe by traversing through Turkey.

However, the Turkish government appears to have devised a strategy to condition the project's success on the resolution of the PKK issue and the creation of a security zone, thereby expanding its hard power across northwestern Iraq, including the regions of Duhok, Mosul, and Erbil. The Iraqi government seems increasingly amenable to such a move, raising questions about the underlying motivations.

Upon examining the Development Road's route, it becomes evident that it is relatively distant from the areas where the PKK is active. The planned route extends from Mosul westward, bypassing Duhok, and stretching towards the Turkish border town of Ovakoy, an area where the Turkish army already maintains a significant presence on the Iraqi side. Nonetheless, Turkey claims that it must secure the Gara mountain range for the route to be considered safe, despite the mountain being at least 30 kilometers west of the Development Road's passage. This raises questions about the Iraqi government's acquiescence to such a Turkish move.

While the answer is hypothetical, one plausible reason could be the Iraqi government's desire to establish a direct connection with Turkey without traversing through the KRG or the KDP-controlled territories. A Turkish security zone might facilitate direct access between Turkish-controlled areas and the Iraqi-controlled parts of Mosul, as the Iraq-Syria-Turkey border triangle represents the narrowest region under KDP control, which could potentially be mitigated through a Turkish security zone.

This approach might be perceived as a win-win scenario for both Turkey and Iraq. However, its practicality remains uncertain, given the potential opposition from Iran and its proxies, who may view such a new reality as a threat to their influence in the region.