Policy
What Stands in the Way of an Independent Kurdistan?
Iraq's northeastern Kurdish region is anxious to assert its independence and protect key cities while provinces around it descend into sectarian chaos. But Kurdish leaders may be trying to do too much too soon. By Steven A. Cook
Ideas
How Nonviolent Action Could Thwart ISIL’s Advance in Iraq
ISIL fighters are making gains in Iraq. But this does not mean that their violence is decisive. By Maria J. Stephan
Threats
China Has a Lot to Lose in Iraq
Beijing is Baghdad’s biggest customer for oil exports. Now, with Iraq on the brink of all-out war, China may have the most to lose. By Lily Kuo
Threats
Islamic Extremists Are Stepping Up Their Recruiting Efforts
Extremists are leveraging recent military gains in Iraq and Syria to get new recruits from Western countries and elsewhere. By Global Security Newswire
Ideas
Iraq Is Spending $1 Billion To Build a New Parliament
Take a look at the plans for a new parliamentary building in Baghdad, designed by the well-known London-based, Iraqi-born architect Zaha Hadid. By Michael Siverberg
Ideas
Crowd-Sourcing the Future of Iraq
A scenario experiment points to the next phase of the new Mesopotamia. By Jeffrey Itell
Policy
Iraq Is the First Major Test of Obama's Revamped Foreign Policy
Obama's May speech at the National Defense University updated the world on America's post-9/11 battle space. The recent crisis in Iraq is putting those words to the test. By Major Garrett
Policy
Important But Not Worth It, Americans All Over the Map on Iraq
Poll finds Americans don't like Obama's approach in Iraq, but don't know what else to do either. By Matt Berman
Threats
'Iraq's Problems Cannot Be Solved By Robots' and Other Lessons in Humility
Most critics assume that the U.S. government and military have more power, skills and knowledge than what recent experience has repeatedly demonstrated. By Moisés Naím
Threats
How Iraq's Insurgency Could Mean the Return of Iraq's Baathists
A possible resurgence of former Saddam Hussein loyalists could translate to a diminished role for ISIL extremists than their violent land grabs would have you believe. By Steve LeVine
Threats
More Than 1,000 Iraqis Killed in Past Two Weeks Alone
As Beltway pols watch Tuesday’s U.S. primaries, Secretary Kerry is in Iraq where politics actually are deadly. Molly O’Toole
Ideas
It's Time Obama Lowered the Bar for Success in Iraq
President Obama might be wise to follow a ‘less is more’ strategy in Iraq. By Tara Sonenshine
Policy
Rand Paul’s Iraq Plan: More Obama, Less Cheney
Rand Paul’s noninterventionism toward Iraq may be the Republicans' best chance to retake security supremacy -- and the White House. By Molly O’Toole
Threats
A Political Solution to Iraq Crisis Won’t Come Easy
Secretary of State John Kerry is urging Iraq to create a new government – but that’s going to take time as ISIL fighters continue to advance. By Stephanie Gaskell
Policy
Iraq Was the Last Thing Obama Needed
Team Obama's next generation worldview -- and national security policy -- have missed time and again. By James Oliphant
Ideas
Maliki Isn’t The Problem. Oil Is.
Oil states are almost always autocracies and rarely politically inclusive, and it’s easy to understand why. By Nora Bensahel
Ideas
Intimidation, Cronyism, Repression: The Unfortunate Legacy of Iraq's Nouri al-Maliki
Maliki’s personal history shaped his winner-take-all view of Iraqi politics. Years of bloody civil war followed immediately by the Arab Spring have only made matters worse. By Mohamad Bazzi
Threats
This Is Why Many of Iraq's Forces Dropped Their Weapons
Inside the rapid disintegration of a security force the U.S. spent more than $25 billion to build. By James Kitfield
Ideas
The Difficult and Probably Only Answer to Iraq and Syria's Problems
Former State and Defense Department official Leslie Gelb sees a way to counter the ISIL wedge that's prying Iraq and the region apart at its seams. It's not easy, but it just might be the most realistic way forward. Interview by Bernard Gwertzman
Threats