They're still pretty half-assed. Note that the soldiers photographed in combat weren't wearing their helmets. I believe it was Michael Yon who said that Iraqis thought GI's had space age compact air conditioning units installed somewhere inside their uniforms because they wore their helmets all the time and carried so much gear while on patrol during sweltering weather conditions. Iraqi soldiers generally shirked at every opportunity, in terms of wearing protective gear and carrying the full complement of combat gear, despite, in theory, being acclimated from an early age to the local weather.
I hear what your saying, but I wouldn’t lump the Peshmerga in with the average Iraqi “soldier.” Everyone I knew who interacted with them lauded their toughness.