Articles

Farhad Alaaldin4 may 2021Without radical reform, Iraq faces potential dissolution and geographic fragmentation in the case of an increasingly likely economic crisis.If the current political situation in Iraq continues as it is without drastic reform, collapse of the state is all but inevitable. This collapse could result from any number of interconnected factors: Iraq’s rentier …

Iraq at a Crossroads: Radical Reforms to Avert State Collapse Read More »

*Farhad Alaaldin4 may 2021Iraq is in a state of crisis: the unprecedented spread of uncontrolled weapons has reached frightening levels in Iraq, and unemployment has affected large segments of the workforce. Idle youth energies are at worrying levels as well, accompanied by disguised unemployment in all state institutions and lower, if not nonexistent, productivity in …

A State in Collapse: Iraq’s Security and Governance Failures Read More »

*Farhad Alaaldin4 may 2021Attempting to precisely and objectively describe the situation of Iraq, many academics, observers, and analysts who support their country and its highest national interests agree that, in its current form, the country’s situation consists of a dilapidated rentier economy and an industrial and agricultural sector that has all but collapsed. It may …

A State in Collapse: Mapping Iraq’s Economic Woes Read More »

Farhad Alaaldin26 march 2021 Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran Ali Khamenei stated on March 11, 2021, that “America must get out of Iraq.” That statement was followed by marathon meetings among paramilitary armed groups in Baghdad, Tehran, and Beirut and resulted in a declaration of a cessation of “targeting U.S. forces and …

US troop withdrawal: A thorny challenge facing Kadhimi Read More »

Farhad Alaaldin15 Feb 2021When I sat down to speak with Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi on January 27, he explained his approach to dealing with the many armed, non-state actors in his country.“There are three ways to tackle the issue,” he told me. “The first is to give in to armed non-state actors and lose …

Biden and Baghdad: How can Iraq help the new administration? Read More »

Farhad Alaaldin3-1-2020The media campaign between America and Iran has escalated in the lead up to the first anniversary of the assassination of Iran’s Quds Force commander, General Qasem Soleimani, and the Chief of Staff of Iraq’s Popular Mobilization Forces Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis. The two sides intensified their campaigns on social media, especially Twitter, with messages …

Despite military escalation, diplomacy is the way for both Iran and US Read More »

Farhad Alaaldin13th Aug. 2020On July 30, Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi announced that early elections in Iraq will take place on June 6, 2021. Following the announcement, various political parties unleashed a barrage of statements in Iraqi media, with some asking for even ‘earlier’ elections. This camp included the President, the Speaker, the UN Assistance Mission …

The Myth of Early Elections in Iraq Read More »

Farhad Alaaldin28th July 2020The Speaker of the Iraqi Parliament Mohammed al-Halbousi and his deputy met with the parliamentary bloc leaders on 22nd of July to discuss the election law completion. The political parties feel that the election is a way to redistribute power among them and it is expected that the new election will redraw …

The Political Scene: Sources of leverage in Iraqi politics Read More »

Farhad Alaaldin10th July 2020In the Friday sermon of 31st Jan 2020, the representative of GA Sistani said “ returning to ballot boxes would be the better choice for the current time…. It is imperative to hold an early elections so that the people will have their say”Since then, the political parties adopted the call for …

The Political Scene: The myth of early elections in Iraq Read More »

Farhad Alaaldin29 june 2020 The October 2019 protests in Baghdad and the southern provinces of Iraq have created a shift in the political process that has been maintained since 2003. It is fair to say that everyone agrees that Iraq’s pre-October protests are not the same as Iraq’s post-October protests. This is reference to the …

The political scene: upcoming Iraqi elections and the remarkable liberal rise at the expense of traditional leaders Read More »