Middle-east Arab News Opinion | Asharq Al-awsat

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Iranians protest against the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) on June 24, 2014 at Imam Hossein Square in Tehran. (Atta Kenare/AFP/Getty Images)

Tehran Wades into Iraq’s Crisis

by David Patrikarakos | Jul 12, 2014 | Majalla Blogs

Qassem Suleimani was only a young soldier in the Iran–Iraq War when he led Iranian troops through Iraqi minefields, stealing the odd goat along the way, and earning the respect even of the enemy. Today, Suleimani, the head of Iran’s Quds Force, the special forces unit...

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Volunteers who have joined the Iraqi army to fight against Sunni militants from the radical Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) who have taken over Mosul and other northern provinces wave from a truck in Baghdad, on June 18, 2014. (Reuters/Ahmed Saad)

Opinion: The Storming of Baghdad

by Wafiq Al-Samarrai | Jul 11, 2014 | Opinion

They must be either mad or ignorant, those who think that what has happened in Mosul and Tikrit can be repeated in Samarra and Baghdad. They have been told from the outset that these two cities will be difficult to take over for both military and security reasons. Any...

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Kurdish “peshmerga” troops walk during an intensive security deployment after clashes with militants of the Islamic State (ISIS) in Jalawla. (Reuters)

Iraq’s Kurds deny PM accusations of harboring ISIS fighters

by Hamza Mustafa | Jul 10, 2014 | Middle East

Baghdad, Asharq Al-Awsat—Recent remarks by Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri Al-Maliki in which he accused Erbil of harboring fighters from the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) have provoked the ire of Kurdish politicians, who have dismissed the accusations as...

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Osama Al-Nujaifi, right, speaker of the Iraqi Council of Representatives, and Iraq’s Deputy Prime Minister Rose Nuri Shaways sit as they attend a session at the parliament headquarters in Baghdad, Iraq on July 1, 2014. (Reuters/Thaier Al-Sudani)

Iraqi politicians move closer to forming new government

by Hamza Mustafa | Jul 8, 2014 | Middle East

Baghdad, Asharq Al-Awsat—Iraqi politicians on Tuesday appeared to move closer to forming a new government despite embattled Prime Minister Nuri Al-Maliki refusing to give up his controversial bid for a third term in office. Kurdish political parties have narrowed down...

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(FILES) – A file picture taken on June 23, 2014 shows Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki meeting with US Secretary of State (unseen) at the Prime Minister’s Office in Baghdad. (AFP PHOTO/POOL/BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI)

Iraq: Maliki’s bloc resists pressure for new PM candidate

by Asharq Al-Awsat | Jul 7, 2014 | Middle East

Baghdad, Asharq Al-Awsat—Members of Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri Al-Maliki’s State of Law coalition are continuing to resist pressure to nominate another figure for prime minister, according to sources within the movement. The pressure comes amid continuing infighting...