Tag "Kurds"
Iraq: future irredentism or national unity?
Iraq has been experiencing violent sectarian conflict since the toppling of Saddam Hussein in 2003. The causes of these conflictual political and ideological positions in Iraqi society have roots in
Why Manbij may define the future of the Syrian war
Violence in Turkey has suspicions pointing towards either ISIS or the Kurds. Turkey is currently fighting on two fronts but the real battlefront remains in Syria, particularly in Manbij. Indeed, Manbij may be decisive for the Kurdish-U.S alliance as well as Turkey-U.S cooperation.
Does China’s Silk Road lead to Damascus?
The People’s Republic of China continues to expand its influence in the Middle East. Syria’s long term bilateral ties with China brings about questions on how China’s ambitions might play
Iraq’s deepening political dysfunction
The recent occupation of Baghdad’s Green Zone by followers of Shia cleric Muqtada al-Sadr highlights the country’s entrenched political deadlock, which poses a significant source of political and security risk
ISIS feeds on Iraq’s political instability and oil
Iraq needs to immediately accomplish major, comprehensive development projects in order to finally establish a stable and viable Iraqi state.
Ankara bombing raises questions over Turkey’s stability
The March 13th bombing in Ankara is the third terrorist attack that hit the capital in a six-month period. The blast is a strong indicator for both the elevated terrorist
Why the timing is ideal for Iraq’s Kurds to declare independence
In this first of two related articles, GRI examines why it is a good time for the Iraqi Kurdish population to declare independence. The next article will examine the regional
Is partitioning Syria a viable option?
US Secretary of State John Kerry recently said that partitioning Syria may be a possibility. In this debate series, GRI asked whether Syria would remain united. Jacob Purcell presents why,
Deployment of Turkish troops in Iraq threatens economic ties
The deployment of Turkish troops to northern Iraq has sparked strong criticism from Baghdad, threatening political and economic ties between the two countries. The decision by Turkey to send additional
Obama’s diplomatic shift in Syria
On Friday, President Obama announced that the United States is to deploy around 50 Special Forces troops to Syria, after repeatedly ruling out US “boots on the ground” action in
