Now, Iraq is practically a nation torn to pieces, its national defense line is so full of holes it's practically just for show.
After the Americans came, the Kurds took the opportunity to set up their own governance, then ISIS rose up. Iranians make trips to Iraq now and then, and Turkey also comes and goes freely.
It's like one fence lets in cats, and another lets out dogs; anyone with the ambition can strut around Iraq. There are far more warlords and private militias than what you see on the news, as numerous as hairs on an ox.
Anything happening here shouldn't be too surprising, anyways, no one's paying attention.
The question now is who can lead a tank procession down the highway with such swagger, daring to approach Erbil at that.