[Published here March 6, 2021]
In the sun-soaked courtyard of Baghdad’s St Joseph Cathedral, members of Iraq’s dwindling Christian community waited in solemn silence for a man they’d never dreamt they would see.
Continue readingIraq
Grand Ayatollah Sistani, Iraq’s ‘shepherd’, to meet Pope Francis | AFP
[Published here March 5, 2021]
Grand Ayatollah Ali Sistani, the highest religious authority for Iraq’s Shiite Muslims, has wielded subtle but unprecedented power for a cleric, guiding his followers through decades of dictatorship, occupation and conflict.
Continue readingCovid, unrest: Iraqis tackle obstacles to host pope | AFP
[Published here March 2, 2021]
Security threats, the Covid pandemic, war-ravaged infrastructure: Iraqis are facing major challenges as they plan to host Pope Francis later this week.
Continue readingRocket strikes on US in Iraq seen as ‘message from Iran’ | AFP
[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.
Continue readingBaghdad 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.
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MAYA GEBEILY 