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Iraq

Policy Analysis on Iraq

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Photo of an oil facility in Iraqi Kurdistan.
Articles & Testimony
Tipping Point of the Iraq-KRG Energy Dispute
Baghdad’s legal wins won’t mean much if it mishandles the political end, angers Turkey, and further damages the country’s reputation as a reliable oil partner.
Feb 13, 2023
◆
  • Bilal Wahab
JT
Maps & Graphics
Brief Analysis
Iraq’s "Muqawama Government" Drives Out Prominent LGBTQ Advocate
Officials appear to be cracking down on freedom of speech and alternative lifestyles opposed by the self-styled militia "resistance."
Feb 10, 2023
◆
  • Hamdi Malik
  • Amir al-Kaabi
  • Michael Knights
  • Crispin Smith
◆ Militia Spotlight
Iraqi prime minister Mohammed Shia' Al Sudani in 2022 - source: Wikimedia Commons
Brief Analysis
Sudani’s Wobbly Balancing Act Between Tehran and Washington
Although it is still too early to write the prime minister off as an Iranian lackey, he is on a familiar trajectory for Iraqi governments: doing the minimum necessary to prevent deterioration with Washington while satisfying the voracious demands of his Iran-backed partners.
Jan 27, 2023
◆
  • David Schenker
Akram Kaabi meets Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Bogdanov in Moscow in December 2022
Maps & Graphics
Brief Analysis
Akram Kaabi’s Visit to Moscow and Its Aftermath
Russia now feels emboldened to openly host Iraqi "resistance" leaders with no government role—including designated terrorists—to discuss their shared interest in confronting the West and working together in Syria and Iraq.
Jan 27, 2023
◆
  • Erik Yavorsky
◆ Militia Spotlight
TW Tanf hit
Maps & Graphics
Brief Analysis
Transnational Muqawama Show Disapproval Via Warithuun Attack on al-Tanf
With probable IRGC-QF acquiescence, a militia facade group struck U.S. targets in Syria to register its defiance against a possible extension of the U.S. presence in Iraq.
Jan 24, 2023
◆
  • Michael Knights
  • Hamdi Malik
  • Crispin Smith
◆ Militia Spotlight
Ghaani
Fikra Forum
Fikra Forum
What Do Iran’s Protests Mean for Iraq and the Kurdistan Region?
Internal instability in Iran may cause significant religious, economic, and political repercussions across the border in Iraq.
Jan 17, 2023
◆
  • Zubir R. Ahmed
  • Nawzad Shukri
Sudani CF
Maps & Graphics
Brief Analysis
Militia Spokesmen Reflect on Sudani Inviting U.S. Forces to Remain
Asaib Ahl al-Haq is signaling pragmatism, while Kataib Hezbollah is contorting its arguments to allow it to play along, albeit without explicitly accepting a U.S. military presence.
Jan 17, 2023
◆
  • Ameer al-Kaabi
  • Michael Knights
  • Hamdi Malik
◆ Militia Spotlight
Fighters of Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), walk together near Baghouz, Deir Al Zor province - source: Reuters
Fikra Forum
Fikra Forum
Turkish Drone Strikes and Building Concerns About Washington in Syria’s Autonomous Administration
Some U.S. allies believe the Biden administration has been noticeably muted regarding Turkey's escalations in northern Syria and the Kurdistan Region of Iraq.
Jan 11, 2023
◆
  • Baraa Sabri
Iraqi cabinet
Maps & Graphics
Brief Analysis
Muqawama Lauds "Resistance Government" in Iraq
Pro-militia parliamentarians and journalists have become increasingly open about what they expect the Sudani government's role to be: a cover for the muqawama.
Jan 11, 2023
◆
  • Hamdi Malik
  • Crispin Smith
◆ Militia Spotlight
Crown Prince Muhammad and President Xi walking in Riyadh.
Brief Analysis
Assessing Xi Jinping’s Middle East Trip
His discussions on nuclear proliferation, energy markets, defense cooperation, and other issues offered numerous contrasts with President Biden’s summer meetings in Saudi Arabia—as well as some unexpected criticism of Iran.
Dec 22, 2022
◆
  • Grant Rumley
  • Carol Silber
  • Eric Feely
  • Sarah Cahn
  • Sude Akgundogdu
  • Lauren von Thaden
  • Faris Almaari
Qubad Talabani
Fikra Forum
Fikra Forum
PUK and KDP: A New Era of Conflict
As divisions between the PUK and KDP grow, the Kurdistan region stands to lose its economic and political stability.
Dec 21, 2022
◆
  • Nawras Jaff
Leaders assemble for the France-sponsored Baghdad Conference in August 2021 - source: Government of Iraq
Brief Analysis
A Baghdad Summit in Amman: Implications for Regional Stability
The French-sponsored event could be a welcome starting point for wider cooperation between Iraq’s new government and its Arab neighbors—particularly Jordan—but only time will tell whether agreements made there come to fruition.
Dec 19, 2022
◆
  • Louis Dugit-Gros
  • Ghaith al-Omari
  • Bilal Wahab
Liberation Square
Fikra Forum
Fikra Forum
Activist Haidar al-Zaidi’s Prison Sentence and Growing Pressures on Iraqi Activists
Despite claiming to defend free speech, the Iraqi government is increasingly targeting critics and protestors with arrests and lengthy jail sentences.
Dec 16, 2022
◆
  • Azhar Al-Rubaie
Karrada District Iraq
Fikra Forum
Fikra Forum
Perpetrators of Stephen Troell’s Killing in Baghdad Remain Unknown
The circumstances surrounding Troell's death in November clearly indicate that the murder is tied to political infighting and the ongoing issue of armed militias in Iraq.
Dec 15, 2022
◆
  • Mohanad Faris
Kurdish protesters killed by the Iranian regime
Video
Brief Analysis
Kurds Against the Iranian Regime: Internal and Regional Implications
Activists and experts discuss what Washington can do to curb Tehran’s violent campaigns against Kurdish populations at home and next door in Iraq.
Dec 13, 2022
◆
  • Abdullah Mohtadi
  • Shukriya Bradost
  • David Pollock
Articles & Testimony
The Paradox of Centralization and State Fracture in Iraq
Decentralizing power would have been the best way of avoiding a return to Saddam-era authoritarianism and corruption, but Baghdad has favored centralization instead—while simultaneously fissuring the state through sectarian patronage and competition.
Dec 9, 2022
◆
  • Bilal Wahab
Photo showing 1983 terrorist attack at U.S. Marine barracks in Beirut, Lebanon.
Video
Brief Analysis
Hezbollah Turns 40: Implications of the Group’s Internal, Regional, and Strategic Shifts
Four experts assess Hezbollah's impact at home and abroad after decades of political maneuvering, military operations, and criminal activity.
Dec 2, 2022
◆
  • Hanin Ghaddar
  • Matthew Levitt
  • Mona Fayad
  • Akeel Abbas
Kurd/Palestine Flags
Fikra Forum
Fikra Forum
KRG and PA: Reprioritizing Governance over Symbolism
Although Palestinian and Kurdish politics have similarly deteriorated into ineffective blame games, fresh U.S. policies focused on institution-building could restore the promise of progress in both cases.
Dec 2, 2022
◆
  • Ghaith al-Omari
  • Bilal Wahab
PM Sudani
Maps & Graphics
Brief Analysis
"Sudani Is a General Manager": How Militias View Iraq's New Prime Minister
Militia leaders have stated that his authority will be limited to technocratic and bureaucratic matters, while they will dictate the country's strategic direction and security decisions—including the future U.S. presence in Iraq.
Dec 1, 2022
◆
  • Hamdi Malik
◆ Militia Spotlight
IRAM June 4, 2007
Maps & Graphics
Brief Analysis
Kataib Hezbollah and Kaf Celebrate Attacks on Americans
The militia's media channel has been praising past Iranian-aided terrorist acts that killed and wounded U.S. military personnel in Iraq—and linking them to current activities.
Nov 30, 2022
◆
  • Michael Knights
  • Aya Yousuf
  • Hamdi Malik
◆ Militia Spotlight

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Featured experts

Michael Eisenstadt
Michael Eisenstadt
Michael Eisenstadt is the Kahn Fellow and director of The Washington Institute's Military and Security Studies Program.
Michael Knights
Michael Knights
Michael Knights is the Jill and Jay Bernstein Fellow of The Washington Institute, specializing in the military and security affairs of Iraq, Iran, and the Persian Gulf states. He is a co-founder of the Militia Spotlight platform, which offers in-depth analysis of developments related to the Iranian-backed militias in Iraq and Syria.
Bilal Wahab
Bilal Wahab
Bilal Wahab is the Nathan and Esther K. Wagner fellow at The Washington Institute.
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