Are U.S. Troops in Iraq Staying or Going? Depends Who You Ask.
Is the U.S. drawing down its military presence in Iraq, following a declaration of victory over ISIS? Messages from Iraqi and U.S. spokesmen are muddled: […] More
Iraq
Iraq Elections: With ISIS in Rearview, Iran Lies Ahead
Bottom Line: On paper, Iraq’s democratic electoral system promises rare, fair representation in a region where politics is dominated by monarchies and authoritarian regimes. But […] More
Iraq’s Real Challenge: A Constitution with a Birth Defect
The Sept. 25 Kurdish referendum has risked permanent damage to the relationship between the Kurdish Regional Government and the Iraqi government (GOI), but the blame […] More
Oil, Extortion Still Paying Off for ISIS
As ISIS loses territory across Syria and Iraq, its capacity to generate revenue has declined drastically. Nonetheless, ISIS continues to profit from its oil industry, […] More
“Savvy” ISIS Will Overcome Cash Crunch & Come Back
ISIS is rapidly losing territory across Syria and Iraq and, as a result, is suffering significant financial setbacks. Yet ISIS remains driven by its goal […] More
With Coffers Draining, ISIS May Seek Donations & Step Up Crime
Once billed the richest terrorist group in history, ISIS’ revenue streams are drying up, which may force it to rely more heavily on criminal enterprises […] More
Political Leadership of Iraqi Kurdistan in Tatters
The Kurdistan Regional Government is already suffering international blowback from its independence referendum, and now some Kurds are calling for the ouster of those who […] More
Iraq Ambassador Accuses Kurds of Kirkuk ‘Disinformation’ Campaign
Iraq’s top diplomat in Washington, D.C., cried foul Friday over Kurdish government charges that Iran backed Iraq’s campaign to retake Kirkuk. “The KRG has been […] More
The U.S. Must Fulfill Role of Negotiator Between Baghdad, Kurds
Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al Abadi published an op-ed in the New York Times on Wednesday, denouncing the “illegal” referendum held by the Kurdistan Regional […] More
Inequality Is Sewn Into the Map of Iraq
This September, voters in the territories controlled by the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) of northern Iraq voted overwhelmingly to declare independence from the central government […] More
Two Rivers, Three Countries? Ethnography and Destiny in Iraq
The surprise advance of Iraqi troops into the Kurdish-held city of Kirkuk on Monday raises a spectre that has haunted Iraq since the 2003 U.S. […] More
Staying Together is Hard — But Splitting is Harder
This September, voters in the territories controlled by the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) of northern Iraq voted overwhelmingly to declare independence from the central government […] More
Clashes Between Kurds and Baghdad Risk New Faultline in Iraq
Iraqi forces seized the Kurdish-held city of Kirkuk on Monday, according to Kurdish and Iraqi officials, leaving Washington scrambling to respond to the surprise dawn […] More
Political Cultures Endure After States Fall
The United States has long sought to export its system of liberal democracy abroad. In places where military juntas and dictators have risen – and […] More
What to Know the ‘Day After’ Overthrowing a Government
The concept of regime change – toppling a hostile or distasteful foreign government and replacing it with a friendly one – has long tantalized U.S. […] More
All Eyes on Baghdad’s Response to Kurdish Independence Vote
Today, the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) in Iraq is holding a historic referendum on Kurdish independence. Kurds are widely expected to overwhelmingly vote Yes, a […] More
Reset Ahead for Iran and U.S. in Iraq after ISIS Fall
Until 2003, Iraq and Saddam Hussein posed perhaps the most direct military threat to Iran in the region. Haunted by the memory of bitter trench […] More
Tehran Seeks to Consolidate Power in Iraq in 2018
Iran’s principal regional nemesis was removed when Saddam Hussein’s regime was overthrown by the United States in 2003. The new Iraq quickly fell under the […] More