Jihan Saad remembers the night her husband and her brother became two more names on a list that, a decade later, still has no ending. It was 2016, in al-Bu Akkash, a small village in Iraq’s Anbar province, during the operation to retake the area from the Islamic State. Soldiers ordered families out of their …
Iraq’s Vanished: An Empire Built on Enforced Disappearance Read More »
A country does not get captured by one man. It gets captured by a division of labor — a role for the cleric who lends the operation religious cover, a role for the official who lends it state legitimacy, a role for the gunman who lends it a monopoly on force, and a role for …
The Division of Labor: How Khamenei’s Funeral Exposed the Men Running Iraq Read More »
For more than three decades, the Barzani family has monopolized political and economic power in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, concentrating wealth and influence while systematically suppressing any opposition. Under the leadership of Masoud Barzani and his son Masrour Barzani, the region has witnessed a relentless increase in corruption, brutal repression of protesters, and widespread …
Corruption Without Borders: How the Barzanis Enriched Themselves at Kurdistan’s Expense Read More »
On the first of October 2019, Iraq erupted. The Tishreen Revolution was not a spontaneous outburst, but the culmination of decades of anger. Citizens took to the streets, exhausted by corruption, unemployment, sectarian exploitation, and foreign interference, demanding accountability, reform, and dignity. The uprising transcended sectarian lines, bringing together youth from all backgrounds in a …
Blood and Protest: Iraq’s Tishreen Uprising Six Years On Read More »
The Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) have emerged as a crucial military force in Iraq since their formation in 2014, primarily to counter the rise of ISIS. While they initially played a vital role in defending Iraq, today, they pose a significant threat to the country’s internal stability and national sovereignty. Initially conceived as a temporary …
The Arab world is currently in the midst of a series of profound political transformations, the scale of which is altering the contours of both regional and global strategies. Perhaps one of the most significant shifts is the evolving role of Iran and its allies, especially within the framework of the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) …
Iran’s Allies in Iraq at a Crossroads Amidst Iranian Contradictions Read More »
One of the clearest indicators of a failed state is its inability to attain political and economic independence, coupled with its failure to ensure development and social justice for its citizens. In today’s world, it is evident that the morally bankrupt Iraqi government consistently seeks to declare its loyalty not to its own people, but …
It was hardly surprising that the new Iranian president chose Iraq as his first major destination. Iraq serves as the economic lifeline for Iran’s regime, without which the regime would suffocate due to a lack of resources, particularly U.S. dollars. The smuggling of Iranian oil under the guise of Iraqi oil—by blending it with Iraqi …
While Iraq collapses under the leadership of the regressive marja’iyya in Najaf and the corrupt clique in the so-called Coordination Framework, driven by the Iranian Safavid ogre choking Iraq, the Jaafari Shiite militias loyal to Iran are killing and terrorizing the Iraqi people, slowly starving and brutalizing them under the guise of ignorance, backward Shi’ism, …
The Nujaba Movement, a prominent Shiite terrorist militia from Iraq, has emerged as one of the region’s most influential forces due to its strong affiliations with Iran. Founded in 2013 by Akram al-Kaabi, a former senior leader of the Mahdi Army, the movement has played a pivotal role in both Iraq and Syria. It has …
The Nujaba Movement: Iran’s Key Proxy Force in Iraq and Syria Read More »
By Michael Rubin March 12, 2024 On 30 January 2024, lawyers for the Kurdistan Victims Fund filed an expansive case against Masoud, Masrour, and Waysi Barzani and many of their key aides. The case alleges a number of crimes ranging from corruption and counterfeiting to torture and murder, and documents each charge extensively. For example, it …
Barzani’s Misplaced Hope for Dismissal of Kurdistan Victims Fund Case Read More »
Iraq has become a central battleground for Iranian-backed militias, with groups like Hezbollah, Kata’ib Hezbollah, and Saraya al-Khorasani gaining considerable influence. These militias, operating within a frail Iraqi security framework, are key players in expanding Iran’s economic and military reach in the region. By exploiting Iraq’s weak governance and deteriorating security, they help Tehran circumvent …