The front cover photo shows a rally by Iraqi Kurds, who have their own language, homeland, and flag, but no independent country. The back cover shows Iraqi women voting on the new constitution in 2005. Collectively, these photos illustrate the geographic complexities and contradictions of the leading geopolitical crisis of the new millennium. While female political participation marks a huge change, the barbed wire hints of the human cost of armed intervention. If the United States withdraws, will Iraq stay together or break into Kurdish, Shiite, and Sunni states? In Chapter 13 of this book, you will apply key terms in political geography-such as nation, state, ethnonationalism, irredentism, and federalism-to gain a deep understanding of the crisis in Iraq. The concepts and skills mastered in this and other chapters will give you the tools for making sense of local, national, and international news.