Source: Norwegian Peacebuilding Resource Center
A year after his appointment Iraqi prime minister Haidar al-‘Abadi continues to face an uphill struggle to build a politically inclusive and functionally viable state. His success in pushing an ambitious reform plan through parliament on August 11th 2015 was an important step forward, but will prove inadequate without genuine political backing from the most powerful domestic and external actors involved in Iraq. These, however, remain focused almost exclusively on militarily defeating the Islamic State, and are not invested in effecting meaningful political reconciliation between the country’s Sunni and Shii Arab citizens, fully pursuing structural military and financial reforms, and ensuring the equitable delivery of crucial social services. As a result, the Iraqi state may have passed the point of no return.