This chapter conceptualises, through an IR lens, the persistent impediments to state cohesion in Iraq, focusing on the complex relationship between Kurds and Arabs (Shi’a and Sunna) within a federal framework. It highlights the historical and contemporary challenges in Iraqi state-building, emphasising the influence of power centralisation by Arab Shi’a in Baghdad. The work explores how constitutional developments and international and regional interventions, particularly by the British, Americans and Iran, have shaped Iraq’s political landscape. The analysis includes the impact of militias as a distinct type of non-state actorhood, especially the Popular Mobilisation Forces backed by Iran, on the state’s stability. The study argues for a holistic, interdisciplinary approach to understand the ontological importance of equal partnership between Kurds and Arabs, addressing the need for a more inclusive and decentralised mode of governance. By placing Iraq within a historical context and considering regional dynamics, the research identifies key elements as the causes hindering state-making and suggests the need for pathways for political and constitutional reforms.