By Michael Knights, Hamdi Malik and Aymenn Jawad Al-Tamimi, for the Washington Institute for Near East Policy. Any opinions expressed are those of the author(s), and do not necessarily reflect the views of Iraq Business News. Honored, Not Contained: The Future of Iraq's Popular Mobilization Forces Hastily raised when the Islamic State was knocking at […]
Tag Archives | Dr Mike Knights
Tags: Dr Mike Knights, featured, Iran, mn, PMU, Popular Mobilization Forces, Popular Mobilization Units, Washington Institute for Near East Policy
Giving Iraq's Next Prime Minister Space to Succeed
By Michael Knights, for the Washington Institute for Near East Policy. Any opinions expressed are those of the author, and do not necessarily reflect the views of Iraq Business News. Giving Iraq's Next Prime Minister Space to Succeed As the next well-qualified, Iraqi-chosen candidate navigates the delicate ratification process, Washington can avoid disrupting his efforts […]
How Soleimani’s Killing Could Make a Stronger Iraq
By Michael Knights, for Politico. Any opinions expressed are those of the author, and do not necessarily reflect the views of Iraq Business News. The targeted killing of Iranian Gen. Qassem Soleimani and Iraq’s most senior militiamen, Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, justified by their orchestration of the deaths of hundreds of Americans, has led to a […]
US Interests and the Unsustainable Status Quo in Iraq
By Michael Knights, for the Washington Institute for Near East Policy. Any opinions expressed are those of the author, and do not necessarily reflect the views of Iraq Business News. U.S. Interests and the Unsustainable Status Quo in Iraq The unprecedented protests in Iraq underline the reality that Iraq is slowly failing as a state. […]
Tags: Dr Mike Knights, featured, mn, Protests, United States, Washington Institute for Near East Policy
Security in Iraq: Location, Location, Location
By Padraig O'Hannelly. Delegates attending CWC's Kirkuk & Mosul Megaprojects conference in London have been told that while Iraq "has never experienced as small a number of security incidents in the post 2003-era as it is now ... there are some parts of Iraq that are experiencing as many incidents as they did in, say, […]
Tags: CWC, Dr Mike Knights, featured, Kirkuk & Mosul Megaprojects, mn, Washington Institute for Near East Policy
Reshuffling Iraqi Generals: Who Benefits?
By Michael Knights and Alexandre Mello, for the Washington Institute for Near East Policy. Three top commanders have been replaced in northern areas where Iran-backed militias are trying to outmuscle the regular security forces. Washington should find out why. Full report here. (Source: Washington Institute for Near East Policy)
Daesh Inside Iraq: Losing Power or Preserving Strength?
By Michael Knights, for the Combating Terrorism Center. The Islamic State Inside Iraq: Losing Power or Preserving Strength? In addition to losing control of Iraqi cities and oilfields, the Islamic State has clearly lost much of the capability it developed within Iraq from 2011-2014. Quantitative attack metrics paint a picture of an insurgent movement that […]
"Iraq's Energy Future Lies to the North"
By John Lee. A new report from the Washington Institute for Near East Policy says that Iraqi hydrocarbons "will either be exploited by Iran and its allies or used for Iraq's own benefit, transforming the country into an energy export hub between the Gulf states, Turkey, and Europe. The United States has a strong strategic […]
Tags: Aqaba, Dr Mike Knights, featured, Iran, Iraq-Jordan Pipeline, James Jeffrey, Jordan, pipelines, Turkey, United States, Washington Institute for Near East Policy
The Future of Iraq’s Armed Forces
By John Lee. In a new report published for the Al-Bayan Center for Planning and Studies, Dr Michael Knights, Lafer Fellow at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, argues that those who say that there is no longer any such thing as the Iraqi security forces (ISF) are fully aware the line they are […]
Tags: Al-Bayan Center for Planning and Studies, Dr Mike Knights, featured, Iraqi Army, ISF, Washington Institute for Near East Policy
Chess or Dominos? The Next Moves in Iraq’s Political Game
By Dr Michael Knights, Vice President and lead Iraq analyst at Olive Group. On 1 October, Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki received the endorsement of just over 140 parliamentarians, drawing close to the 163 votes needed to be re-appointed. I’m on record as predicting that this step will most likely bring about a new Maliki-led government, […]
Iraq, The 'Awakening Economic Giant'
The Financial Times ran an article on Wednesday by Farouk Soussa, Citigroup’s Chief Economist for the Middle East. While we're all used to hearing the statistics and projections, Mr Soussa gave us a more engaging metaphor for Iraq's potentially prosperous future: “Beneath the unsettled surface, Iraq is an economic giant, slowly but surely awakening after […]
What the Ramadan Bombings Tell Us about Security in Iraq
By Dr Michael Knights, Vice President and lead Iraq analyst at Olive Group. The holy month of Ramadan – which ended on 11 September – is meant to be a time of peace, but in Iraq it has more often been a testing time for the Iraqi Security Forces (ISF) and the United States. Insurgents […]