Analysis

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Analysis

Spice Route; A Bitter Pill for Iraq to Swallow

Ziryan Rojhelati

The unveiling of the Spice Route potentially poses a significant setback to Sudani's ambitious vision of bridging Asia and Europe through a development road project. Indeed, global infrastructure endeavors carry both economic and political significance, and this could explain why Iraq finds itself excluded from the recent initiative aimed at linking Asia and Europe, as unveiled during the latest G20 meeting.

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Analysis

Discrepancies in Financial Figures of Iraq's 1H 2023 Revenues & Expenditures

Mahmood Baban

For instance, a substantial gap of 1 trillion 258 billion dinars is evident in the total expenditures alone. This discrepancy has been identified by multiple entities, including the Ministry of Finance, the Parliamentary Finance Committee, the Iraqi High Economic Council, and 327 Members of Parliament (pp. 60-63). What adds an intriguing dimension to this issue is the variance in expenditures for Anbar province, a matter that should have garnered the attention of the speaker and Sunni members within the finance committee. While the allocated budget for Anbar province was originally set at 466 billion dinars, the actual sum tallies up to just 436 billion dinars. Thus, this stark contrast amounts to a substantial 30 billion dinars in the collection of the allocated budget for this province!

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Analysis

Shiite Groups’ Response to U.S. Military Movements

Dr. Yassin Taha

Alina L. Romanowski, the US Ambassador to Iraq, has asserted that the repositioning of US troops within Iraq constitutes a routine rotational measure, unrelated to the internal dynamics of the country. Romanowski the powerful American woman in Iraq emphasized Washington's dedication to cultivating collaborative ties with Baghdad. In a contrasting perspective, Hashd commander Waad Qaddo, who leads the 30th Brigade, he unveiled that officials in Washington have communicated a clear message to the Iraqi military delegation: their intention to assume control over the Iraqi-Syrian border. As part of this endeavor, they are strategically substituting 2,500 troops with Ohio National guard fighters, In accordance with this, the movement is planned and directed elsewhere.

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Analysis

Election Without Al-Sadr!

Dr. Yassin Taha

Considering the late elections, which cover only 15 central and southern governorates, as one of the most important stages both for drawing a map of the political streets in Iraq and for bridging the gap created by the dissolution of local councils after the 2019 demonstrations, legal deadlines and accusations of corruption. . After the formation of the coordination framework government, the elections will be a popular referendum on the position of the current Shiite front alone in power. Within this front, the weight and size of the two opposing poles are pitted against each other

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Analysis

Durra Gas Field; Iraq in the triangle of Iran-Saudi Arabia and Kuwait conflicts

Mahmood Baban

The development and exploration of the Durra gas field was delayed each time due to a problem, but this time Saudi and Kuwaiti officials said that the matter is serious, although Iran announced its seriousness in owning the field and starting work in its name. However, the success of the strategy is any party and how to determine and how to develop the gas field and the prospects for Saudi-Iranian relations in the meantime will have an impact.

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Analysis

Reactions to "Defending the Qur'an" in the Shiite Street

Dr. Yassin Taha

ong the Shiite reactions to the incident of burning the Qur’an in Sweden, al-Sadr was the most insistent when he threatened that “if the government does not take a stand,” he will act in his own way. Indeed, later supporters of Muqtada al-Sadr raided the Swedish embassy (July 20, 2023), which led to The birth of another crisis for Iraqi diplomacy, while the reactions in Iran and Saudi Arabia, the two largest Islamic poles in the region, were more formal and diplomatic. A statement of condemnation was issued by the Foreign Ministry in Saudi Arabia, as well as in Iran, and the two countries summoned the Swedish ambassador to protest. There is no other Islamic and Arab country where the situation has deteriorated as much as the situation in Iraq.

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Analysis

Youth Perspective - 2023

Ziryan Rojhelati

According to the survey findings, young people in the Kurdistan Region have a significant financial, social, and even safety bond with their families. A remarkable 90% of young people do not want to leave their families, and 52% rely on them for financial support. When faced with difficulties, 66% said they would seek assistance from family and relatives, while just 33% would turn to formal government organizations.

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Analysis

Baghdad and Erbil: A Crucial Agreement for Iraq’s stability

Elodie Vieira

The autonomous region of Iraqi Kurdistan has many important oil and gas reserves, but the exploitation of these resources has been, for a long time, a source of tensions between Erbil and Baghdad. The new agreement, negotiated under the auspice o the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries is considered to be an important step toward the reconciliation in Iraq and could bring a much needed long-term stability to the country.

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Analysis

The American occupation of Iraq in the light of the British "imperial precedent" twenty years later

Myriam Yakoubi

This article aims to review the American occupation of Iraq (2003-2011) in light of the domination that the British had in this country in the aftermath of World War I. This article compares the strategy of the two powers to rebuild the Iraqi state and protect their interests, a process characterized by the same hegemonic aspiration and the same claim to build a state from above in a coercive context.

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Analysis

Triple Homicide in Paris: The Kurds in Quest of Justice and Protection

Laure Marchand

The journalist and author Laure Marchand explains the attack that happened in the head office of France’s Kurdish Democratic Council (CDK-F), exploring the different theories and arguments regarding this case. An enlightening reading for those who are interested in international news. Three months after the crime, the Kurdish community still doesn’t believe it was an isolated racist crime and is still in quest of understanding the outside actors that could’ve influenced the presumed murderer.

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Analysis

Iraqi Contestation: The Quest of a Dream!

Dr. Adel Bakawan

On October 1st 2019, a protest, unprecedented in its nature and its magnitude, shook Iraq. The ruling elite, in a state of generalized panic, adopted a strategy of repression, just as unprecedented, at least since 2003.