Kurds at a Crossroads as Middle East Shifts
Syrian Kurdish military leader Mazloum Abdi’s recent meeting with top Kurdish officials of northern Iraq points to the region’s shifting political landscape. Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) commander...
Kurdistan Regional Government
Iraq votes in parliamentary elections amid US security talks and concerns about Iranian influence
Iraqis voted in a parliamentary election on November 11, the country’s sixth since the toppling of former President Saddam Hussein in 2003. The election, held as security forces were deployed...
Op-eds
PKK announcement of withdrawal from Turkey has ramifications for Iraq, Syria
On October 26, the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) said it was withdrawing its fighters from Turkey. The withdrawal is part of a peace process that has seen the group say it will disarm...
Op-eds
Assassination Casts Dark Cloud over Iraqi Elections
Iraq continues to suffer from lawlessness, where the politics of the gun – and not the ballot box – play too great a role In the early hours of October 15, an IED tore through a Chevy Tahoe...
Op-eds
Can Iraq Stop the Iranian-Backed Drone Attacks?
Recent drone attacks in Kurdistan are once again bringing the issue of Iraq’s Iran-backed militias to the fore.
Op-eds
Syrian Druze are not entitled to self-determination, and Kurds cannot yet pursue secession
Syria is a patchwork of identities, par for the course in a region where novel nationalities vie with tribe and religion for the citizenry’s loyalty. For most of the country’s history, the Assad family...
Op-eds
New head of anti-Islamic State mission in Iraq and Syria takes command
Brigadier General Kevin Lambert took over as the new commander of the anti-Islamic State coalition of Combined Joint Task Force-Operation Inherent Resolve (CJTF-OIR) in a ceremony in Iraq on...
Op-eds
Iran and its militias brace for another conflict with Israel
The Qatari New Arab reported on July 17 that Esmail Ghaani, the commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards-Quds Force (IRGC-QF), met with Tehran’s Iraqi proxies in Baghdad earlier this...
Op-eds
US, UK condemn drone attacks targeting energy sites in Iraq’s Kurdistan Region
Drone attacks targeting the autonomous Kurdistan Region of Iraq increased in July, leading to condemnations by the US, UK, and various officials. “The United States condemns the recent drone attacks...
Op-eds
After the Ceasefire, Will Iran Abandon its ‘Axis of Resistance’?
The Decline of Iran’s Proxies: How Tehran’s Regional Power Crumbled ...
Op-eds
Iranian-backed militias threaten US amid rising tensions in Iraq over Iran-Israel conflict
The Iranian-backed Kataib Hezbollah militia in Iraq has threatened to target “US interests” in the Middle East if the US intervenes in the Israel-Iran conflict, according to several regional Arabic reports. The...
Op-eds
Iraq in the Crossfire
Iraq was in crisis before Israel and Iran started trading blows. Now, it’s next door to a conflict.
Op-eds
US strike in Iraq eliminates top Islamic State leader
A March 13 airstrike in Iraq’s Anbar province by US Central Command (CENTCOM) eliminated Abdallah Makki Muslih al Rifai, a senior leader of the Islamic State (IS) who may have served as the...
Op-eds
Drone attack targets gas field in northern Iraq
An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) targeted the Khor Mor gas field in northern Iraq’s autonomous Kurdistan Region on February 2, 2025. It is the latest kamikaze drone attack on the gas field run by Dana Gas.
Op-eds
In 2025, Israel’s Gaza Campaign Is Not Over
Despite multiple IDF campaigns, Hamas continues to recruit fighters.
Op-eds
Kurdistan regional elections mark a step forward for Iraq’s stability
Elections in the Kurdistan region are important because they provide a beacon of democracy for the region.
Op-eds
Lessons, 10 years after ISIS took over Mosul
The defeat of ISIS took years. However, Iraq was able to mobilize against the extremists.
Op-eds
Secretary of Defense Austin Visits Jordan, Iraq, Egypt, and Israel
Latest Developments Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin is scheduled to visit Israel tomorrow after trips to Jordan, Iraq, and Egypt this week. Originally slated to visit Israel today, Austin reportedly delayed...
Flash Briefs
Iran has Iraq’s Kurds in its crosshairs
After decimating Iraq’s Sunnis during years of political and military conquest, Iran and its Iraqi militias have now set their sights on Iraqi Kurdistan, harassing its government, targeting its energy...
Op-eds
Biden Faces a Decision on Our Presence in Iraq
Overcharged political rhetoric about 'endless wars' masks the reality of the situation.