Iraq And The Islamic State Unite Against Turkey And Its Use Of Water From the Euphrates River

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L.A. Times: Iraq And The Islamic State Are United Against Turkey And Its Water Usage

There’s one thing Islamic State militants and the Iraqi government they’re besieging agree on: Turkey is using more than its fair share of water.

Water levels on the Euphrates River that flows 2,700 kilometers (1,700 miles) from eastern Turkey through Syria and Iraq past ancient Mesopotamian lands have fallen more than half this year, withering farmers’ crops and raising the risk of a wider regional conflict, Iraqi officials say.

Iraq and Islamic State say Turkey needs to release more water from its dams to replenish the river in the former Fertile Crescent area where drought-like conditions endanger millions. The situation has grown even more acute for Iraq after Islamic State, whose holdings fall within the watershed, used a dam captured in Ramadi in June to cut off water to government areas.

WNU Editor: This is an issue that has been around for decades .... but it appears that Turkey is now taking advantage of the chaos to meet its own water needs knowing all too well that Iraq and the Islamic State are powerless to stop them.