Iraqi Kurdistan was once seen as a beacon of promise in the troubled country, but things have changed in recent years. Corruption and a disregard for rule of law are worrying for prospective international investors who are now avoiding Kurdistan, writes Dr. Joel Ruet. Iraq’s semi–autonomous Kurdistan Region, which was once seen as a beacon of prosperity and promise in the tr
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Washington’s ever-narrowing Iraq policy has left it with unpalatable choices, but muddling through is a better short-term option than allowing the relationship to rupture. raq is back in the headlines, and once again for all the wrong reasons. On January 28, an Iraqi militia attack in Jordan killed three American service members and injured dozens more, moving the situation
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When Mohammed Shia` al-Sudani became prime minister of Iraq in October 2022 after a year of impasse and political infighting, he made it a priority to combat endemic corruption in the country and help restore citizen trust in government institutions. But thus far, and twenty years after the US-led invasion, Iraq’s democracy remains dysfunctional under his leadership, subverted
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BAGHDAD — On a recent afternoon, bursts of drilling and the clamor of jackhammers cut sharply across Baghdad’s soundscape, piercing through the usual car horns and birdsong. Twenty years after an American-led invasion plunged Iraq into conflict, a real estate boom is changing the face of this historic capital city, as construction workers demolish old brick houses and clear
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After eight months in office, the Iraqi prime minister can point to a period of calm, increased foreign investment and a building boom in Baghdad as signs that his country is moving in the right direction. Onlookers are concerned, however, at the disproportionate economic influence of Iran and the government’s lackluster effort to stem corruption. BY ARAB DIGEST
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