BAGHDAD — Iraqi military leaders expect victory this week against the Islamic State (IS) in the battle for Mosul, and the government has unveiled a $100 billion, 10-year reconstruction plan for the country that, despite some challenges, is slated to begin next year. Mosul will be particularly important to rebuild because of the number of citizens who were for
Read MoreSULAIMANIYAH, Kurdistan Region of Iraq — The political establishment in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq is divided in opposition to and support for holding a referendum on independence and what the government's priorities should otherwise be. One possible casualty of the dispute is Alaa Talabani, who was relieved of her position as head of the Patriotic Union of Kurdist
Read MoreUNICEF Representative in Iraq Peter Hawkins recently visited schools in Anbar province. As tens of thousands of families return to Anbar, UNICEF is rehabilitating 100 schools and in August launched a ‘Back to School’ campaign to reach about 70,000 girls, boys and families to encourage enrollment. I visited Anbar earlier this year shortly after military operations had
Read MoreSince I started researching and polling public opinion in Iraq in 2003, I cannot remember more interesting findings than the ones from the recent nationwide survey conducted a few weeks ago. In general - and as a rule since 2003 - hundreds of previous quantitative and qualitative studies have shown that sectarian divisions are the key determinants Iraqi public opinion. Kurds
Read MoreThe Kurdish Regional Government's decision to hold an independence referendum in September, despite Baghdad's opposition, is expected to stir tensions in the region and could cause a row, particularly with its northern neighbor, Turkey The announcement made by the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) that the semi-autonomous region will hold an independence referendum on Sept
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