Iraq Archives - Page 6 of 23

Smoke billowing from a sentry box at an entrance of the embassy in the capital Baghdad, after supporters and members of the Hashed al-Shaabi military network breached the outer wall of the diplomatic mission during a rally to protest air strikes that killed pro-Iran fighters in western Iraq.

Why No One Ever Really Wins a Proxy War

The harms outweigh the perceived benefits, short-term and long-term, says a recent study from an expert working group convened by the American Bar Association Center for Human…

May 11, 2020 Brittany Benowitz and Alicia Ceccanese

US Army from NATO and Afghan commando forces at a checkpoint during a patrol against Islamic State militants at the Deh Bala district in the eastern province of Nangarhar Province. There are multiple vehicles around the checkpoint.

Grading DOD’s Annual Civilian Casualties Report: “Incomplete”

The new information demonstrates how much progress the department has made and yet how much of a paradigm shift is still needed for full accountability.

May 7, 2020 Daniel R. Mahanty and Rita Siemion

Syrians sell vegetables next to buildings heavily damaged and collapsing from Syria's civil war, in the central city of Homs, on April 28, 2020 as Muslims mark the holy month of Ramadan.

Accountability in the Time of COVID-19: Syria & Iraq

The coronavirus crisis has dominated the global news coverage, but the war in Syria has not gone away. The ceasefire brokered by Turkey and Russia in March 2020 remains fragile,…

May 6, 2020 Beth Van Schaack

An Iraqi Yezidi woman holds a placard with a picture of victims of the 2014 invasion of their region by the Islamic State (IS) group, a day ahead of commemorations at the Temple of Lalish, in a valley near the Kurdish city of Dohuk, about 430km northwest of the Iraqi capital Baghdad, on August 2, 2019. The placard reads, “ 3-8-2014 #StopYazidiGenocide”

First Yazidi Genocide Trial Commences in Germany

On April 24, 2020, six years after the Islamic State (IS) began persecuting and exterminating the Yazidi, the first ever trial addressing genocide against the religious minority…

Apr. 23, 2020 Alexandra Lily Kather and Alexander Schwarz

Soldiers attached to the 101st Resolute Support Sustainment Brigade from the 1034th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion, Iowa National Guard and 10th Mountain, 2-14 Infantry Battalion, Ghost Forward Support Company load onto a Chinook helicopter to head out and execute missions across the Combined Joint Operations Area- Afghanistan

Why We Filed a FOIA Request on How Many US Troops Are in Afghanistan, Iraq, and Syria

Last night, Just Security filed FOIA requests with the Defense Department seeking U.S. troop numbers in Afghanistan, Iraq, and Syria.

Apr. 22, 2020 Kate Brannen and Ryan Goodman

Destruction at Karbala airport in the Iraqi shrine city, one of the areas targeted by US military air strikes against a pro-Iranian group in Iraq following the deaths of two Americans and a Briton in a rocket attack the previous night on a US base in Taji. Some soldiers inspect the damage while others stand guard with guns. March 13, 2020

It’s Time Iraq Accepts Legal Responsibility for Its Iran-Backed Militias

Legal reform of the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMFs) would have a more durable effect on these hostile militias than a few US air strikes.

Mar. 23, 2020 Crispin Smith

Defense Department General Counsel Paul C. Ney gives a speech at BYU Law School on March 4, 2020.

The Trump Administration’s Latest (Failed) Attempt to Justify the Soleimani Strike

Two months after killing Qassem Soleimani, the Trump administration still hasn’t gotten its story straight. On January 3rd, the day of the operation, and for the next 10 days,…

Mar. 13, 2020 Adil Ahmad Haque

Fighters of the Hashed Al-Shaabi (Popular Mobilization units) advance through a street in the town of Tal Afar, west of Mosul, after the Iraqi government announced the launch of the operation to retake it from Islamic State (IS) group control, on August 26, 2017.

Iraqi Militias Split Over New Iran-Backed Head, Reflecting Wider Divisions

Understanding the differences among the Hashd al-Sha’abi factions is vital as the organization gains increasing influence in government, including the official Iraqi security…

Mar. 4, 2020 Crispin Smith

Iraqi anti-government protesters rest beneath graffiti at Tahrir Square as nationwide protests entered a third month on December 5, 2019, in Baghdad, Iraq. The graffiti art reads, “An idea cannot be destroyed,” and shows a police officer beating a dandelion. On the other side of the wall, there is an image of an injured person lying on a cloud while their blood rains down on people below.

After Soleimani Killing, Iran and Its Proxies Recalibrate in Iraq

Understanding the motivations and capabilities of leading Iranian-backed militia units is vital for an effective US and Iraqi response to likely violence in the coming months.

Feb. 27, 2020 Crispin Smith

The damaged interior of the hospital in which the Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) medical charity operated is seen on October 13, 2015 following an air strike in the northern city of Kunduz.

Why the US Military Needs to Rethink How It Investigates Civilian Harm

A new report analyzed a total of 228 investigations into reported civilian harm in Afghanistan, Iraq, and Syria between 2002 and 2015.

Feb. 13, 2020 Priyanka Motaparthy

Student protesters call for a strike as they gather during an anti-government demonstration in the southern Iraqi city of Nasiriyah in Dhi Qar province on February 8, 2020.

As ISIS Regroups, No Time to Cut U.S., U.N. Assistance to Iraq

Iraq is teetering, and the U.S. presence is uncertain. All the more reason to retain the kinds of U.N. and other civilian programs that prevent backsliding.

Feb. 12, 2020 Jordie Hannum

French jihadist Djamila Boutoutaou attends her trial at the Central penal Court in Baghdad, on April 17, 2018.

UN Report Should Pressure Countries to Repatriate Foreign Fighters

A new UN report raises serious doubts about the respect of fundamental rights for those accused of being members of the Islamic State and facing trial in the Iraqi court system.…

Feb. 6, 2020 Margherita Stevoli

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