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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In the past week, a series of court orders were issued against me including freezing of my assets and the issue of a warrant for my arrest. These measures were related to the so-called theft of the century. The charge against me was specifically for “facilitating the theft of the trust accounts of the tax authority.” I have no detailed information as to what these charges are b
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As global oil prices soar, smugglers are exploiting the lucrative profit margin between Iraq’s subsidized fuel and black-market rates elsewhere. Smugglers move the country’s oil to and through the contested Kurdish region, exacerbating nationwide shortages and depriving the state of much-needed income. These illicit oil flows are also funding Iranian-backed militias, creating b
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