An Alliance of Convenience with Iran? Baghdad as “Exhibit A”

by Ellie Geranmayeh The violence in Iraq has provoked serious considerations by the West as to whether cooperation with Iran is worth testing to secure regional stability. In the last decade, both sides have avoided expanding their dialogue beyond the nuclear… 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

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