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Policy Analysis

Iraq

Policy Analysis on Iraq

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Map showing Syrians in need of humanitarian assistance.

Maps & Graphics

Expanding Humanitarian Assistance to Syrians: Two Deadlines Approaching

Syria may not be a priority for the Biden administration, but the Brussels pledging conference and the July vote on the UN cross-border mechanism mean that major donors can no longer keep the disastrous humanitarian situation on the back burner or expect NGOs to resolve it on their own.

Calvin Wilder

Hayat Tahrir al-Sham militia members in Syria

Articles & Testimony

Jihadi Movements 2021: ISIS, al-Qaeda, and Hayat Tahrir al-Sham

A closer look at the attack patterns, ideological disagreements, and shifting strategies of the world’s foremost jihadi organizations over the past year.

Aaron Y. Zelin

Maps & Graphics

A Return to the Convoy Strategy and Projection of Unity

Militia Spotlight

The muqawama are trying to put squabbles over the utility of convoy bombings behind them and are making a concerted attempt to demonstrate inter- and intra-group unity.

Crispin Smith

Articles & Testimony

Our Presence in Iraq Remains a Vital US National Security Interest

American withdrawal would doom efforts against the Islamic State, undermine confidence in Baghdad, exacerbate Iraq's economic crisis, and deliver the country completely to Tehran.

David Schenker

Reshaping U.S. Force Posture in the Middle East

By adjusting carrier rotations, ISR capabilities, headquarters locations, and other key aspects of its posture, the Biden administration can contribute to regional security and self-sufficiency while still shifting toward great-power competition.

Christine McVann

KH Publicly Leads Calls for Escalation Against U.S. Presence

Militia Spotlight

After being struck by U.S. forces, Kataib Hezbollah dropped the pretense of the coordination committee and acted unilaterally.

Hamdi Malik

The Erbil Rocket Cell: Insights from Haidar Hamza al-Bayati's Confession

Militia Spotlight

What we learned about the detainee and his description of being recruited by Kataib Sayyid al-Shuhada.

Michael Knights

Assistant secretary of state David Schenker speaks at the Department of State in Washington, DC, alongside secretary of state Mike Pompeo

Middle East Policy from Trump to Biden: Views from Inside the State Department’s Near East Bureau

The former assistant secretary of state in charge of the Middle East portfolio from 2019-2021 discusses his time in office and how the region’s challenges and opportunities are evolving at the start of the Biden administration.

David Schenker
Robert Satloff

NATO solderis with alliance and national flags

NATO in Iraq: Not a Surge

NATO stands ready to increase its commitment in a slow and steady manner consistent with Baghdad’s needs, but careful communication will be crucial, as will a more strategic discussion on how to combine different assistance efforts.

Michael Knights
Pierre Morcos

The Tuna and Noodles Saga: Findings from a War of Words Between Militias

Militia Spotlight

Bitter squabbles between the social media platforms of two competing Iraqi militias offer insights into the movements and their relationship.

Hamdi Malik

Pope Francis departs an airplane

The Pope Meets the Ayatollah

The Vatican’s outreach to Iraq is laudable in its goal of decreasing religious violence, but Western officials should be realistic about what engagement with Shia religious leaders can accomplish in the near term.

Mehdi Khalaji

Understanding Iran’s Vast Media Network in Arab Countries

Designating Iranian-linked media outlets can limit their activities, but a more holistic strategy is needed if Washington hopes to effectively counter the regime’s regional propaganda machine.

Hamdi Malik

Russian president Vladimir Putin

Articles & Testimony

How Russia Is Responding to Joe Biden’s Syria Airstrike

The omissions in Moscow’s statements on the U.S. operation are as revealing as the predictable hyperbole and hypocrisy.

Anna Borshchevskaya

Militia with 23mm driving west outside IZ, May 26, 2021

Harakat al-Nujaba Identifies with the Iraqi Resistance Coordination Committee

Militia Spotlight

What to make of HaN spokesperson Nasr al-Shammari's admission that his group is a member of the top militia committee?

Hamdi Malik

Figure 1: Qais al-Khazali’s interview with iNEWS TV, June 1, 2021.

Maps & Graphics

In Their Own Words: Senior Leaders Admit to Membership in the Tansiqiya

Militia Spotlight

Qais al-Khazali, Muhammad Mohi, and Nasr al-Shammari have all provided televised prima facie evidence of their groups' involvement in acts of anti-coalition terrorism.

Hamdi Malik

U.S. soldiers at an Iraqi base after a rocket attack by Iran-backed militias

Articles & Testimony

Why Biden’s Airstrikes on Iran Militias Matter

The operation on the Iraq-Syria border could prove more significant than critics allow, but only if the administration keeps showing that there are limits to what it will tolerate in pursuing a new nuclear deal.

Phillip Smyth

Biden’s Warning to Iran and Its Proxies: Implications of the Syria Strike

The administration’s early recourse to armed force may have surprised Tehran, but the proxy tests will continue, suggesting the need for sustained U.S. intelligence support and multilateral engagement with partners.

Michael Knights

Articles & Testimony

The Other Khashoggis: Dissidents in Danger Across the Middle East

With militia targeting of activists on the rise, Western officials need to name the perpetrators, hold them accountable, and support homegrown democratic movements before they are snuffed out for good.

Hanin Ghaddar
Michael Knights

Attributing the Erbil Attack: The Role of Open-Source Monitoring

Even Iran’s proxies now have proxies, but authorities can still untangle and attribute their illegal acts through expanded use of rich open-source evidence.

Crispin Smith
Michael Knights
Hamdi Malik

Articles & Testimony

Rocket Attacks on Erbil: Part 2

The U.S. response needs to get more specific, while the KRG and Baghdad need to patch up their urgent security differences and stop entangling them with broader territorial, constitutional, or budgetary issues.

David Pollock

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