Erbil fuel station tragedy: A warning sign of what economic strain can ignite

The tragedy at the fuel station should serve as a warning, not only to prevent further violence but to address the root causes that make such flashpoints possible

Mohammedali Yaseen Taha

Opinion

Iraq’s PMF law risks a US-Iraq showdown

Baghdad has come under heavy US pressure to shutter a bill that would see the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF), long seen by Washington as a pro-Iran proxy network, further institutionalized into Iraq's official security apparatus, raising the prospect of icier relations between the two states.

Mohammed A. Salih

Opinion

Knowing Iraq's power structure is knowing the depth of its policies

The current state of the Kurdish situation in Iraq is deeply shaped by the centrality of the militia in Iraqi politics and the ascendance of a Shiite elite in the post-2012 period, with it being essential to understand the structural dynamics at play to grasp what the future holds for the country's heterogeneous political make-up.

Hassan Ahmad Mustafa

Opinion

Blood in Suwayda: How Sharaa is further alienating Syria’s minorities

After scenes of insipid violence during clashes between Druze and Bedouin fighters in the country's south, Syria grapples with increasingly wary and disenfranchised minorities, the exigences of its Sunni majority, and extensive foreign involvement that present salient doubts about the country's future stability under President Ahmed al-Sharaa's leadership.

Mohammed A. Salih

Opinion

Iraq breaks free of Iran’s orbit

Baghdad is emerging as a strategic actor in its own right, distancing itself from Tehran without courting confrontation. This newfound strategic agency offers Iraq the opportunity to present itself as a sovereign partner to the international community at large and shed the shadows of a checkered past.

Muhi al-Ansary

Opinion

Two non-Iraqi clubs qualify for Iraq Cup final

The author highlights how the success of Duhok and Zakho football clubs amid political and financial marginalization by the federal government symbolizes the resilience, dignity, and unity of the Kurdish people.

Mohammedali Yaseen Taha

Opinion

Iraq’s top court faces crisis: New judge not enough without big reforms

The Federal Supreme Court of Iraq is going through its biggest crisis since 2005 after the chief justice and several judges resigned. Their resignations revealed how politics has weakened the court’s independence. While a new chief justice has been appointed, experts say that’s not enough.

Muhi al-Ansary

Opinion

From sectarianism to nation-building: Recalibrating Iraq’s identity politics in the shadow of Tehran

Amid Iranian stoking of sectarian coals and the incessant primacy of confessional politics in Iraq, the cultivation of a shared national identity is paramount to facilitate national development and the progress of the nation.

Alfadhel Ahmad

Opinion

Two Fronts, One Strategy: Baghdad’s Campaign Against Kurdistan

The Iraqi government's ongoing denial of funds to Erbil, meddling in its oil sector, and convenient ignorance of a wave of attacks perpetrated in the Kurdistan Region are not only indicative of hostility to the Region's government but also a callous display of enmity toward Iraq's Kurdish citizenry.

Mohammed A. Salih

Opinion

The disarmament of symbols in a complicated war: Reflections on the Turkey-PKK peace process

In light of the ongoing peace process between Turkey and the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), many doubts linger regarding Ankara's willingness to offer any concessions to its Kurdish minority, raising fears that Turkey desires the group's disarmament to moreso mirror a unilateral surrender than a mutual peace agreement.

Hassan Ahmad Mustafa

Opinion