Professor Marcus Dubius King, a professor at George Washington University, recently wrote a book entitled "The Possibility of Rising Tensions between Erbil and Baghdad" and says that the reason for the escalation of tensions between the Kurds and the Iraqi central government would over water and water resources in Iraq.

He noted that people in southern Iraq believe that the Kurds consume most of the country's water resources, while the southern regions are struggling with water shortages and water pollution crises.

The professor at George Washington University has also cited Turkey as a major cause of water shortages in Iraq. Dr. King has warned that if Turkey wants to control more of this the entering Iraq and reduce Iraq share of the Tigris and Euphrates waters, it could lead to military conflict.

The author of the book also points out that water is used as a weapon in the region, as exemplified by Turkey's use of this issue in the case of Syria.

Reporter’s code: 50101