Carnegie Endowment for International Peace
The collision between Iraqi paramilitaries allied with Iran and the Sadrist current risks fueling tribal conflicts in southern Iraq and in other parts of the country.
Moqtada al-Sadr, the biggest winner in the recent election, aspires to implement grand changes in Iraq, but reform is easier said than done.
The Syrian Jihadist group, HTS, is attempting to improve its image by turning to local jihad and distancing itself from its former hardline allies; a move that is indicative of HTS’ hope to obtain international political recognition and alter its continued status as a “terrorist” organization.
Amidst public cries to boycott the upcoming Iraqi parliamentary elections and to reform the political landscape of the country, Iranian-backed militias are mobilizing forces and preparing to assume power, while the Sadrists hope to play kingmaker.
Once pillars of global agriculture, Iraq and Syria are plagued by corruption-induced food insecurity. The collapse of Iraq’s agriculture sector over decades of conflict hints at Syria’s future.
Paramilitary surrogates are popping up in Iraq with strong links to existing militant networks. The application Telegram has been crucial in fostering new paramilitary identities.
Sada asked experts to analyze potential flash points for the next U.S. administration—ranging from the globalization of Libya’s war to the ongoing conflicts in Syria and Yemen, the Arab-Israeli conflict, and increasing authoritarianism and violations of civil liberties and human rights.
Iraq’s Prime Minister inherited a series of fiscal crises. As his interim government struggles to advert a complete economic collapse, austerity measures may come at the expense of much-needed reforms.
Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi is likely heading toward a confrontation with the Iran-backed paramilitaries, which could threaten his fledgling coalition.
Economic shocks arising from the pandemic and collapsing oil markets expose Iraq’s fragile governance and food insecurity.
The shifting relationships between armies and civil society are revealing new balances within defense structures.
A renewed NATO-Middle East cooperation can strengthen the security architecture of the Middle East.
Iraq’s new Prime Minister-designate Adnan al-Zurfi faces opposition amid a political, fiscal, and, now, global pandemic crisis.
Rife with election fraud, Iraq’s political system has sparked widespread protests one year after the country’s previous national election.
A push to pass a bill expelling U.S. troops from Iraq, a constitutionally questionable move, has presented an unnecessary headache for Prime Minister Adel Abdul-Mahdi.
Without a functional coalition, Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Adbul-Mahdi may be forced to rely more on unilateral executive decrees, exacerbating the country’s institutional crisis.
Although the Islamic State has lost its stronghold in Hajin, instability within disputed territories provides opportunities for it to survive in both Syria and Iraq.
The KDP’s nominees for Kurdistan’s highest offices demonstrate the party’s belief that it can shape the region’s politics without regard for established power-sharing norms.
Although Iraq’s political blocs have agreed on a new prime minister, the lack of a coherent coalition shows the incoming government’s inherent weakness.
Its economic future in question, Tehran is looking to maintain and increase its influence in Iraq by investing in schemes and projects linked with loyal paramilitary forces.