Tag "Muqtada al-Sadr"
Iraq and Syria: Do Profits Perpetuate Violence?
Years of civil war and political instability in Iraq and Syria have seen non-state actors rise to prominence. Many take a hybrid form, in which they have been semi-institutionalised by the state, qualifying them for the state payroll. However, the majority of these militias sustain themselves in other ways, notably from the shadow economy. This begs the question: for how long will illicit and informal economic activity persist and does its profits perpetuate violence?
Haider al-Abadi: From success to despair
Since 2014, Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi of Iraq has had to deal with an unending series of problems including corruption, the war against the Islamic State (IS), and sectarianism. Following a poor performance in the May elections and the mass protests in Basra, will Abadi survive?
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 isn’t Iraq’s only problem
In addition to the war against ISIS, the government of Iraq is currently facing a host of other impending issues that are threatening the country’s security and economic outlook. Corruption,
