The system of government set up after 2003 has run its course. Twenty years ago this month, the rule of Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein collapsed, ushering in a new era for Iraq, the Middle East, and the world. The war that toppled him remains contentious among Iraqis and Americans. Yet for many Iraqis who suffered under his brutal dictatorship, it was a moment of salvation fr
Read MoreIf the 1991 Gulf War led to the birth of the Kurdistan Regional Government, the US invasion in 2003 propelled it into the future. At the start of the invasion, Iraqi Kurdistan served as the northern front of the war, elevating the status of the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG). The destruction of President Saddam Hussein’s Baathist regime buttressed Kurdish righ
Read MoreIf one looks back on the U.S.-led military intervention in Afghanistan in 2001, and the invasion of Iraq in 2003, the U.S. can claim many tactical successes in fighting terrorism and violent opposition movements. It also “won” one of its wars. While the U.S. was ultimately defeated in Afghanistan, it did win a kind of victory in its two wars in Iraq: first against hardline Sunn
Read More17 March 2023 Shivan Fazil and Dr Alaa Tartir Over the past two decades Iraq has been affected by several waves of intense conflict and violence. The 2003 invasion of Iraq by a multinational coalition led by the United States and United Kingdom toppled the Ba’athist regime of Saddam Hussein. It also ushered in years of chaos and civil war, as a variety of armed groups vie
Read MoreIraqi Prime Minister Muhammad Shia’ Al-Sudani has paid his first official visit to Turkey since taking office last October, holding important talks with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. The Mar. 21-22 trip to Ankara saw focus on boosting economic cooperation, including a push to advance a new major transit project. But no permanent solution on issues such as transboundary waters
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