عراق

With U.S. encouragement, broad-based national dialogue could increase the chance that Maliki handles Iraq's next political crisis by compromising with domestic partners rather than reaching out to Tehran, a player with no real commitment to Iraq's interests.

On April 5, 2012, His Excellency Masoud Barzani, president of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, addressed a Policy Forum at The Washington Institute. The following is a rapporteur's summary of his remarks. IRAQ'S INTERNAL POLITICAL CRISIS AND U.S. POLICY Despite a budding national political crisis originating from the consolidation of

The U.S. troop withdrawal is a less significant driver of recent Iraqi violence than Washington's policy of giving Prime Minister Maliki a blank check in his campaign to consolidate power.

Washington and Baghdad should begin laying the groundwork for a real strategic relationship that assuages Maliki's insecurities while emphasizing U.S. red lines on Iran, human rights, and other issues.

Once the military withdrawal is complete, Washington will need to tread gently on Iraqi sensitivities, shrug off snubs, and broaden the range of international voices capable of positively influencing Baghdad.

Whether U.S. forces in Iraq withdraw or not, Iran is expected to continue backing its proxies there in order to influence the political situation and retain an ability to strike Western assets.

Most terrorist attacks in Iraq today are not meant for an international audience, but instead indicate various militias battling for influence after U.S. troops head home.

The stabilization of Iraq has become wedged on a plateau, beyond which further improvement will be a slow process.

Testimony before the U.S. House of Representatives, Committee on Foreign Affairs. Events of recent weeks -- intensified attacks on U.S. civilian and military personnel in Iraq, ongoing political and terrorist violence against Iraqis, and tensions related to the brewing debate in Iraq about the U.S. military presence beyond 2011 --