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Al Qaeda in Iraq launched a concentrated wave of car-bomb and other attacks specifically against civilian Shi'a targets in and around Baghdad. Shi'a militias are mobilizing and have begun a round of sectarian killings.
The political participation of the Sunni Arab minority in Iraq is critical to the security and stability of the state. At present, they are functionally excluded from government. Without effective political representation, the Sunni in Iraq are left with few alternatives to address their grievances against the Maliki government.
Iraq continues its slide towards widespread violence. Over the weekend, the Iraqi government has issued an ultimatum to anti-government protesters following an attack in Anbar province that left five soldiers dead.
At least 30 people have been killed in Iraq in recent days. ISW Iraq Analyst Ahmed Ali talks with Al Jazeera about the violence.
On April 20th, Iraq will hold its third provincial elections since 2005. There are 447 open seats nationwide, and competition for them is fierce. Previous elections illustrate that winning provincial seats can reverberate on the national level.
Today, political and military power in Iraq is highly centralized in Prime Minister Maliki’s personal office. This will have important implications for the future of Iraq and the trajectory and durability of its democratic transition.
February 8th, 2013
ISW President Kimberly Kagan argues Iraq teeters on the brink of renewed insurgency and, potentially, civil war in the Washington Post.
2013 Iraq Weekly Update #4c: Iraq Moves Toward Civil War
January 26, 2013
By Marisa Sullivan
January 31, 2013
The Iraqi Army’s fatal shooting of eight anti-government protesters in Fallujah on Friday, January 25, has increased fears that violence will escalate further.
Mapping the Iraq Protests: Week 4
January 12 – January 17, 2013
By Sam Wyer