Nouri al-Maliki

Despite significant investments to expand its influence in Iraq, Iran's efforts have yielded only mixed results. The goal of Shiite unity in Iraq has proven elusive.

U.S. President Barack Obama’s administration is ramping up its efforts to train and arm Sunni tribal fighters, who it hopes will lead a coming effort to reclaim Anbar province from the Islamic State

One reason for the imbalance is military skill and commitment to the fight: The Iraqi security forces that are taking the field are facing off against battle-hardened officers trained under Saddam

No more blood without oil....

How to Defeat ISIS and Save the Country

Why Counterterrorism Won’t Stop the Latest Jihadist Threat

There is no place in the world today where chaos is more prevalent and the reestablishment of order more critical than the Middle East. The “great game" between rival great powers may have originated in Central Asia but it found its most intense expression at the "crossroads of empire" in the Middle East. As long as American interests are still engaged the United States cannot desist from playing it.

The Terrorist Group Struggles to Hold On

Why the United States can do very little to alter the course of events in the Middle East right now.

As oil prices dwindle, Iraq needs to increase its oil output to offset missed production targets over the past few years.