AGSIW Research Associate Yerevan Saeed commented on the conflict between former Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki and Masoud Barzani, president of the Kurdistan Regional Government, for The New Arab: “The conflict between Erbil and Baghdad has been, and will be, about struggle of power regardless of who comes to office in Baghdad.” Saeed continued, “Iraq as a state would want to project its power on every inch of its soil, when possible. Thus, Kurds live in a constant security quandary as long as they remain within Iraq. This is not to say such security dilemmas ends once Kurdistan declares independence, but rather to say Kurds are more vulnerable within Iraq and international norms support Baghdad to have control over its territory.”