Mismanagement Is Killing Iraq. By Luay al-Khatteeb* Forget corruption. Waste, inefficiency and economic distortion have brought Baghdad to the brink. Ever since Stuart Bowen led the first attempt to account for Iraqi reconstruction funds in mid-2004, it has been clear that Iraq hemorrhages money through corruption. Since then, things have got worse as last year the late Ah
Read MoreIraq's transition from autocracy to multiparty elections has made it something of a test case in the Arab world. Although the Sunni-Shia divide has created difficult obstacles to good governance, it has led to a wider embrace of power sharing, at least as a political principle. Iraq's Islamist parties play a dominant role in politics, but pose less of a threat to democracy th
Read MorePolitical and economic turmoil point to a protracted displacement crisis that will get worse before it gets better. As the Iraqi security forces began their assault on ISIS-controlled Fallujah, the city's remaining inhabitants were advised to flee. They will join the millions of Iraqis who have been displaced by conflict, adding to a crisis that merits much more attention th
Read MoreKey Takeaway: Iraq's Federal Court will issue an important ruling on May 25 that could have a major impact on the political crisis. The issues at stake are the legitimacy of Prime Minister Haidar al-Abadi's ministerial appointments and the speakership of the Council of Representatives. Former Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki is a driver of the political party that has raised
Read MoreContinued bombings could bring a devastating flood of sectarian attacks to Baghdad and delay the battle for Mosul, so the coalition should help Iraqis address the capital's longstanding vulnerability. More than 100 people were killed on Wednesday in three separate attacks in Baghdad, with more than 165 wounded. The most devastating bombing, in Sadr City's Urayba Market
Read More