China is seizing an opportunity in the Middle East to improve its energy security and global influence, with Iraq a particular beneficiary This push has its risks, though, and Beijing’s neutrality will face challenges in a region fraught with long-standing rivalries and competing interests Chinese firms recently won the lion’s share of licences for oil and gas exp
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Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani met last week with U.S. President Joe Biden at the White House as part of a weeklong visit aimed at strengthening bilateral relations. The visit occurred amid several historic anniversaries and dangerous developments in the Middle East. April marks the 21st anniversary of the toppling of Saddam Hussein. Since 2003, the U.S.-Iraq rela
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Proxy battles: Iraq, Iran, and the turmoil in the Middle East. By Hamza Hadad. Summary The war in Gaza has deepened the Middle East’s fault lines. Iran and its proxies and the US and Israel have engaged in a cycle of tit-for-tat attacks across the region, with the Israeli bombing of the Iranian consulate in Syria and Iran’s direct retaliation against Israel threatening to
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Two decades ago, the United States assisted the Iraqi people in overthrowing the dictatorial regime of Saddam Hussein and laying the foundations for a democratic system. It enabled Iraqis to taste freedom for the "first time, eliminating the oppression and the misuse of resources that had caused problems not only for my country but also for the region more broadly. Since the
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To move beyond the years-long focus on Iran and the Islamic State, both leaders must commit to actions that set the table for a mutually beneficial relationship and convince skeptical domestic constituencies. When Mohammed Shia al-Sudani makes his first visit to Washington as Iraq’s prime minister on April 15, the stakes will be high for him and President Biden alike. Sudani
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