Rare Glimpse into Inner Workings of American Empire in Middle East

by Edward Hunt In recent testimony before the Senate Armed Services Committee, four former U.S. diplomats provided remarkably candid commentary on recent U.S. involvement in the Middle East, revealing a number of the most closely guarded secrets of U.S. diplomacy. The four… Continue Reading

Muqtada al-Sadr’s Saudi Visit and Iraq’s Shifting Shia Politics

by Shireen Hunter   Last week, the Iraqi Shia cleric and the leader of the Sadrist movement Muqtada al-Sadr paid an official visit to Saudi Arabia and met with Crown Prince Muhammad bin Salman, the power behind the throne. In… Continue Reading

Addressing Iranian Influence in Iraq

by Giorgio Cafiero As Iraqis celebrate Mosul’s liberation from the Islamic State (ISIS or IS), their country’s future is anything but certain. Although it is premature to conclude that the fight against IS in Iraq is over, the Trump administration’s… Continue Reading

An Iraq War Anniversary to Forget

by Danny Sjursen The other day, I found myself flipping through old photos from my time in Iraq.  One in particular from October 2006 stood out. I see my 23-year-old self, along with my platoon. We’re still at Camp Buerhing… Continue Reading

The Woulda Coulda Shoulda School of Foreign Policy Analysis

by Paul R. Pillar A recurring feature in criticism of President Obama’s foreign policy, particularly in referring to strife-torn Syria and Iraq, is the notion that if only the United States had followed some different course, bad things in such… Continue Reading