Iraq

By Rebecca Gordon | (Informed Comment) | – – So now it’s official. The British Chilcot Report confirms what the world has known for 13 years: the invasion of Iraq was a legal, strategic, and moral disaster. The report runs to 12 volumes – 2.5 million words – but its primary author, Sir John Chilcott, […]

Iraq

The Iraq War Never Ended: An Interview with Anand Gopal

contributors

An Interview with Anand Gopal by Charles Davis | ( TeleSur) | – – The United States is winning the war on terror, just as it always has. The Islamic State group is “on the defensive,” Col. Steve Warren told reporters earlier this year. In Iraq, it has reportedly lost 40 percent of its territory […]

Iraq

Ordinary Iraqis defy sectarianism after Islamic State’s attacks on Baghdad

contributors

By Balsam Mustafa | (The Conversation) | – – “I’m happy that I graduated. I’m so grateful to my parents and I dedicate my success to both of them.” These were the final words written by Adnan, a victim of a deadly attack on Sunday’s early hours in the crowded, buzzing street of Karrada in […]

Iraq War

Int’l Criminal Court Won’t Investigate Blair but Might Prosecute Soldiers

contributors

TeleSur | – – The Hague says it is not in its mandate to prosecue Blair, but may use the long-awaited Chilcot report to prosecute British soldiers for malfeasance. With the long-anticipated release of the Chilcot report later this week, the International Criminal Court Monday said that it will not investigate former UK Prime Minister […]

Iraq

Iraq: al-Anbar’s Cities are ISIL-Free, But Can they be kept that Way?

contributors

Kamal al-Ayash | (Niqash.org) | – – Every time extremists are forced out of Anbar’s cities they take refuge in nearby desert and attack again. Now it seems like the same guerilla war is starting again. Plenty of effort has gone into pushing the extremist group known as the Islamic State out of major cities […]

Featured

Fallujah Falls: The Slow Death of ISIL and the Future of Iraq

Juan Cole

By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) | – – As Shakir Jawdat, Chief of the Iraqi Federal Police, announced the complete liberation of the last, northern neighborhoods of Fallujah from Daesh (ISIS, ISIL), Prime Minister Haydar al-Abadi came to the city on Sunday to plant the Iraqi flag right downtown. al-Abadi, the commander in chief […]

Iraq

Iraq after ISIL: Liberated Ramadi 80% Damaged, has only gotten $1 mn from Gov’t

contributors

By Kamal al-Ayash | Ramadi | (Niqash.org) | – – As the clean up in Ramadi continues, locals and officials are applying for reconstruction aid. But there are problems already, with calls of foul and favouritism and a lack of billions in funding. After the extremist group known as the Islamic State was pushed out […]

Corruption

Why don’t Technocrats think the cure for Iraqi Corruption more Democracy? It is Everywhere Else!

contributors

Usman W. Chohan | (The Conversation) | – – The tragedy of modern Iraq is often studied with a humanitarian, moral, religious, political or military lens, but fiscal perspectives are much harder to come by. In strong democracies, it is almost considered a given that a legislature helps oversee the budget, and its oversight supports […]

Featured

Pyrrhic Victory? As Iraq rolls back Daesh, can it stay together as a Country?

Juan Cole

By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) | – – From all accounts, most people in Fallujah are very happy about being out from under the murderous and puritanical rule of Daesh (ISIS, ISIL). But Daesh took the city in January of 2014 for a reason. Locals did not put up much of a fight to […]