U.S.: What Is the Greatest Threat of Them All?

by Jim Lobe* This month’s stunning campaign by Sunni insurgents led by the radical Islamic State of Syria and the Levant (ISIL) against the mainly Shi’a government of Iraqi President Nouri Al-Maliki is stoking a growing debate here about the… Continue Reading

Iraq: US-Maliki Face-off Backfires

by Wayne White Secretary of State John Kerry’s June 23 meeting with Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki sent a risky symbolic message, albeit unintended: perhaps the US could work with Maliki after all. So it was no surprise today when… Continue Reading

Iraq on the Brink

by Emile Nakhleh Much blame could go around regarding the current chaos in Iraq and the recent territorial gains of the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS). Four contributing factors stand out: The 2003 decision by the Bush administration… Continue Reading

What Iran Wants in Iraq and Why

by Shireen T. Hunter For some time, the problems of Iraq and indeed of all of the Middle East have been blamed on Iran for its interference and meddling, especially for exporting its ideology and attempting to establish hegemony over… Continue Reading

Obama Wary of Maliki, But Conceding Too Much Support

by Wayne White President Barack Obama’s news conference today showed some well-placed White House caution against acting in ways that would support more substantially Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki’s sectarian agenda in Iraq. Hopefully, Obama’s repeated implicit criticism of Maliki’s government… Continue Reading