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 …
In the wake of the collapse of Saddam Hussein’s regime in 2003, Iraq was left in a state of total disarray. Institutions across the country, from the military to the security and service sectors, were dissolved overnight, leaving the country grappling with chaos and anarchy. This sudden vacuum created fertile ground for foreign powers and …
In my country, a man feels ashamed to openly express his love for his wife, but he boasts about his sinful past with other women. In my country, we are ashamed of love and openly display hatred. We consider deceitfulness to be cleverness, while honesty is deemed worthless. We praise cunning and manipulation, and we …
In his seminal work “Science and Politics as a Vocation,” German sociologist Max Weber proposed a fundamental distinction within political life: one can either live “for” politics or “from” politics. The former is driven by ideology, purpose, and the desire to shape society, while the latter seeks to exploit the political system for personal gain. …
The Kleptocracy Unveiled: How Iraq’s Political Elite Perpetuates Corruption Read More »
The emergence of the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant foreshadowed the rise of another non-state armed group that has become deeply involved in Iraq’s political and economic landscape. Following the approval of the fatwa by the Iranian Najaf religious authority, the Iraqi government called for militia mobilization as it struggled to combat ISIS …
During the recent FIFA World Cup in Qatar, French President Emmanuel Macron extended an invitation to Zinedine Zidane, the legendary French footballer, to attend the final between France and Argentina. However, Zidane declined the invitation, citing unknown reasons. This raised an interesting question: why didn’t the French media and public accuse Zidane of betraying France? …
As time has passed, Iraq’s dreams have been ground to dust, and the spirits of its people are now little more than faded shadows, lost in a sea of years filled with chaos and confusion. They have no shore to cling to, no place to rest. In this era, they wander aimlessly, without shelter, without …
As the wheel of time turned, it ground the dreams of Iraqis into dust, fracturing what remained of weary souls who had languished for years in a haze of fragmentation, longing, and disorientation. They had no shore to anchor them, no haven to rest upon. Their spirits became mere outlines, abandoned beneath a sky that …
O Eid, in whatever state you have returned, O Eid Read More »
After what has been widely referred to as the “political deadlock,” Iraq’s political process finds itself once again in a dark and suffocating tunnel. A tunnel it has been lost in for the past 19 years. Despite the promises of progress and change, Iraq’s leaders have been unable to pull the country out of its …
A new day has begun with the rising of the sun. Its rays have been consumed by the dark night’s spirit, causing this sterile circle to revolve around the people of Iraq, encircling their necks and suffocating their breath. In the old days, there was good land that yielded its fruits and bore fruits of …
Shia Tug of War: Coordination Framework and Al-Sadr Bloc Read More »
Aristotle was once asked: “Who creates tyrants?” He immediately replied, “The weakness of the oppressed.” This statement highlights a harsh truth: the persistence of injustice in societies is often due to the silence and inaction of the people who endure it. When citizens remain passive in the face of oppression—whether it’s the suppression of freedom, …
From Corruption to Slavery How Iraqs Blind Obedience Fuels its Tyrants Read More »