Iraq’s New Prime Minister and the Challenge of Change A Conversation with Kanan Makiya Organized and edited by David Siddhartha Patel, Associate Director for Research The largest and most sustained demonstrations in Iraq’s post-Ba‘th era began in early October 2019, which led to the resignation of then Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi. After five months without a govern
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Toby Dodge (L), with Hisham al-Hashimi, former EU Ambassador to Iraq Ramon Blecua, and Chatham House’s Renad Mansour. My friend and colleague, Dr Hisham al-Hashimi, was brutally murdered outside his house in Baghdad on Monday night, 6 July. This is obviously a profound tragedy for his wife and young children who found him. It is also a huge blow for all of us worki
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The murder of a popular scholar could galvanize opposition to militias backed by Iran. For Iraq, the murder of a well-known scholar in Baghdad is a tragedy that stands out from an abundance of adversity. For Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi, it is also a leadership test — and just possibly, a political opportunity. The scholar, Husham al-Hashimi, was shot dead
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After nearly 20 years of political chaos in Baghdad, Mustafa al-Kadhimi is trying incremental reform. Iraqi Prime Minister-designate Mustafa al-Kadhimi makes a speech before the Iraqi Parliament in Baghdad on May 6. ANADOLU AGENCY VIA GETTY IMAGE After months of horse-trading and two failed attempts, Iraq finally has a new prime minister. Former head of intelligence Musta
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Iraqi Prime Minister-designate Mustafa al-Kadhimi delivers a speech during the vote on the new government at the parliament headquarters in Baghdad, Iraq, May 7, 2020. Iraqi Parliament Media Office/Handout via REUTERS Mustafa al-Kadhimi was confirmed as prime minister of Iraq on May 6 and the task before him has rightly been called a suicide mission. There is hardly any nati
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