Policy Analysis

Starting in early October 2019, when Iraq witnessed a swell of large protests in the capital, Baghdad, along with other cities in the south, protesters were violently repressed—the harshest crackdown on protesters since the downfall of Saddam’s regime in 2003.

The Islamic State's strategic understandings of geographic territory, time, and victory are critical elements in its potential for a resurgence.

Reforms are needed to open greater opportunities for Iraqi women's political representation.

Iran-backed militias in Iraq are using fraudulent loans to bankroll their community activities, drawing into question their adherence to Islamic laws and mores.

If the Biden administration is serious about addressing human rights violations, it should push for a more democratic, free, and just government in Iraqi Kurdistan.

Poverty, unemployment, and a lack of local industry continue to plague Iraq's economy, and the resulting public unrest could be dangerous.

Without radical reform, Iraq faces potential dissolution and geographic fragmentation in the case of an increasingly likely economic crisis.

Unregulated weapons, corruption, and mismanagement are pushing Iraq's political system towards potential collapse.

Protestors in Iraq are using the "Who Killed Me" hashtag to call out militia influence in the Iraqi government and demand greater protection for demonstrators.

Violence against women and other social issues in the KRI require multifaceted, international solutions, and the United States stands to benefit from supporting these solutions.

The Kadhimi government must move quickly if it wants to avoid a potential popular uprising among dissatisfied Shias in Iraq.

The history of Iraq’s political parties helps contextualize why Iraq’s current political scene is so fragmented, and what remains missing.

Iraqi Kurdistan's Komal party faces a difficult dilemma as it seeks a more reformist direction.

The concept of the civilizational state helps explain how Iran is challenging the liberal international system and weakening Iraqi sovereignty.

The pope's visit in Iraq highlights Iranian-back militias' failure to successfully depict themselves as saviors of Iraqi Christians.

Societal transformation in Iraq requires motivated, capable young people who can redefine the status quo in their country.

New polls show that Iraqis want institutional change, but they are losing faith in elections as a real means towards reform.

Given our perpetual crises, we Iraqis rarely look back. But unless Iraqis collectively understand the past and decide how to avoid repeating its mistakes, we are bound to pay these crimes forward as we have in the past.

Good relations with Iraqi Kurdistan are a valuable strategic asset for the United States, but support from the Biden administration should not be unconditional.

Iraq's Yazidis need assertive international support to protect their rights and well-being. ​