Iraq's Post-Withdrawal Crisis, Update 12
Mar 8, 2012 - Ramzy MardiniMarch 2-8, 2012. Diyala Appoints New Governor, Kurds Continue to Host Hashemi Despite Pressure, Talabani to Head Arab League Summit.
March 2-8, 2012. Diyala Appoints New Governor, Kurds Continue to Host Hashemi Despite Pressure, Talabani to Head Arab League Summit.
February 24-March 2, 2012. Diyala Governor Reportedly Resigns, Postponing National Conference After Summit, Hashemi and Maliki Reportedly Exchange Letters.
February 18-24, 2012. Judiciary Sets Hashemi’s Court Date, Mutlaq Case to Be Resolved in Parliament, Parliament Passes 2012 Budget.
February 10-17, 2012. Investigation Escalates Hashemi Case, Blocs Debate Agenda for National Conference, Maliki’s Charm Offensive in Basra.
The unilateral moves taken by Maliki’s Shi’a-dominated government against the public faces of Iraq’s Sunni community were unprecedented, sparking a new political crisis that has put the country’s long-term unity and stability at risk. Given the number of red-lines crossed by the government, Iraq has entered a new era of post-Saddam politics.
On February 29, the United States Institute of Peace and the Institute for the Study of War co-hosted a panel of distinguished experts who discussed the history of the Iraqi police and the U.S. police assistance program in Iraq.
ISW cordially invites you to an on-the-record panel discussion on the evolving political crisis in Iraq and its implications for Iraqi stability and U.S. national interests. To read a transcript from this event, click here.
February 3-10, 2012. Iraqiyya Ends Boycott of Council of Ministers, National Conference Picks Up Momentum, Judiciary Issues Warrants for Parliamentarians.
United States policy today is focused on maintaining the status quo in Iraq, offering unqualified support for Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri Kamal al-Maliki in the name of stability. But the status quo is inherently unstable.
More than 400 people have died in Iraq since the U.S. withdrawal in mid-December. Coupled with the political struggles that broke out days after U.S. troops departed, Iraq’s worsening instability leaves little hope for developments that could augur an end to the crisis.