Tag Archives | Dr Mike Knights

Planning Beyond a Baghdad-Kurdistan Budget Deal

By Michael Knights, 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. Planning Beyond a Baghdad-Kurdistan Budget Deal Iraq's bloated 2023 budget has created space for the Kurds to get a share of the wealth this year, […]

Shock as Arrest Warrant issued for Fmr Iraqi Finance Minister

By John Lee. Iraq's Federal Commission of Integrity has issued warrants for the arrest of four senior officials in the previous government, including former Minister for Finance, Ali Allawi (pictured). The warrants relate to the theft of 3.7 trillion Iraqi dinars ($2.5 billion) from the General Tax Authority's account at the state-run Rafidain Bank, an […]

Scoring Iraq's New Govt: Metrics for Preserving U.S. Interests

By Michael Knights 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. Scoring Iraq's New Government: Metrics for Preserving U.S. Interests The protracted post-election process has been a step backward for Iraqi democracy, so Washington will need […]

Iraqi Militia makes Credible Threat against Gulf States

By Hamdi Malik and Michael Knights 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. Iraqi Militia Group Makes Credible New Threat Against the Gulf States The facade group in question tends to follow through on its […]

Removing All Militias From Baghdad's International Zone

By Michael Knights, 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. Removing All Militias From Baghdad's International Zone Iran-backed PMF units shot first in the latest showdown, so they should hardly be the ones left in […]

Iraq's Two Coups, And How the U.S. Should Respond

By Michael Knights, 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. Iraq's Two Coups-And How the U.S. Should Respond Iran's allies in Iraq mounted a judicial coup at the start of this year. Now, Moqtada al-Sadr […]

Turkey's War in Northern Iraq: By the Numbers

By Michael Knights, 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. Turkey's War in Northern Iraq: By the Numbers Ankara is fighting a lethal and largely hidden counterinsurgency against PKK elements across the border, but the […]

Iran's Cross-Border Strikes: A Pattern in Search of a Policy

By Michael Knights, 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. Iran's Cross-Border Strikes: A Pattern in Search of a Policy The latest strike on Iraq points to a brazen, illegal, and dangerous strategy of exercising […]

IS at Low Ebb in Iraq: The Insurgent Tide Recedes Again

By Michael Knights and Alex Almeida, for the Combating Terrorism Center. Any opinions expressed are those of the author(s), and do not necessarily reflect the views of Iraq Business News. The Islamic State at Low Ebb in Iraq: The Insurgent Tide Recedes Again Following a sustained buildup in attacks throughout 2019 and into first half […]

The Harrowing of Mustafa Kadhimi

By Michael Knights, 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. The Harrowing of Mustafa Kadhimi Militias' repeated targeting of Kadhimi, including this week's attack on his home, emphasizes that Kadhimi has done something right in […]

Discordance in the Iran Threat Network in Iraq

By Michael Knights, Crispin Smith and Hamdi Malik 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. Discordance in the Iran Threat Network in Iraq: Militia Competition and Rivalry Hardline groups are struggling to satisfy demands for […]