[Published here February 24, 2021]
Renewed rocket attacks on US targets in Iraq show Iran-aligned factions are heaping pressure on the government while Tehran may be seeking leverage over America’s new administration, analysts say.
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Baghdad blasts expose gaps in Iraq’s strained military | AFP
[Published here January 22, 2021]
Twin suicide blasts in Baghdad claimed by the Islamic State group have exposed gaps within Iraq’s security forces, weakened by the Covid-19 pandemic, rival armed groups and political tensions.
Continue readingOne year after US killed Iran general, Iraq tensions boil | AFP
[Produced with my colleague Ammar Karim and published here December 31, 2020]
One year after US forces assassinated Iran’s most storied commander, tensions are boiling between Iraq’s Washington-backed premier and pro-Tehran forces that accuse him of complicity in the Baghdad drone strike.
Continue reading‘Cheaper than water’: Iraqis angry but unsurprised over Blackwater pardons AFP
[Published here December 23, 2020]
Iraqis on Wednesday were outraged, heartbroken but not surprised to hear US President Donald Trump had pardoned for four Blackwater contractors convicted of killing Iraqi civilians in Baghdad in 2007.
Continue readingAfter tough 2020, Iraq eyes more economic pain ahead | AFP
[Published here December 17, 2020]
A year of economic agony for pandemic-hit and oil-reliant Iraq is drawing to a close, but a draft 2021 budget involving a hefty currency devaluation could bring more pain for citizens.
Continue readingIraq’s Weathervanes | Intuitive Reactions
I joined friend and ecumenical lawyer Harry Hagopian for a discussion on Iraq’s weathervanes — the under-represented communities whose subjugation to injustice can tell us more about society as a whole than we think.
Give it a listen, and apologies in advance for Iraq’s unreliable internet as we were recording:
Iraq shuts last ‘safe haven’ camps for vulnerable displaced | AFP
[Published here November 13, 2020]
Shredded tarp flutters from the metal frames of what were once thousands of tent homes. After five years hosting displaced Iraqis, the vast camp was emptied in under 48 hours.
Continue readingFood Security, Economy, and Accountability in the Wake of the Beirut Blast | TIMEP
I had the privilege of moderating a discussion hosted by the Tahrir Institute for Middle East Policy on food security in Lebanon, where a currency crisis and the port blast have made imported foods harder to access than ever.
You can find the full discussion below, or here.
A year after unprecedented Iraq protests, what has changed? | AFP
[Produced with AFP bureau chief Sarah Benhaida and published here on September 29, 2020]
Back in October 2019, unprecedented protests demanded the fall of Iraq’s ruling class. One year on, with a new government in place and nearly 600 protesters killed, almost nothing has changed.
Continue readingTurkey, Iran deploy ‘game-changing’ drones in north Iraq | AFP
[Produced with my colleague Shwan Mohammad in Sulaimaniyah and published here on October 1, 2020]
Turkey and Iran are increasingly adopting “game-changing” drones as their weapon of choice against Kurdish rebels in northern Iraq, prompting fears for the safety of civilians and stoking geopolitical tensions.
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