Iraq’s Kurds, Accused of Backing Insurgents, Demand Maliki Resign
The leader of Iraq’s Kurds calls the premier “hysterical” for accusing them of harboring radical Islamists.
Middle East and North Africa
Israel Retaliates After Gaza Strikes, Escalation Unlikely
Israel’s latest air war in Gaza will probably end like the last two did: in a tenuous ceasefire.
Iran Says Pilot Died in Iraq, Confirming Military Presence
Iran seems to confirm it deployed jet aircraft to support the Iraqi government in announcing the death of a military pilot.
Egypt Cuts Fuel Subsidies in Effort to Reduce Deficit
The austerity measures mark a break with the stopgap economic measures of Egypt’s last government.
Iraq’s Parliament Convenes as Country Falls Apart
Lawmakers gather in Baghdad while Sunni militants declare a caliphate and the Kurds edge closer to independence.
Iraq’s Sunnis Likely to Fall Out Once ISIS Campaign Runs Its Course
Many of the Sunnis who back the offensive against Iraq’s government don’t share the Islamists’ vision.
Abandoned by the West, Libyans Vote with Little Hope
Three years after the fall of Muammar Gaddafi, Libyans have little reason to be optimistic.
Last of Declared Chemical Weapons Removed from Syria
An international effort to dismantle Syria’s chemical weapons arsenal draws to a close, but Assad could still have poison gasses.
Sunni Insurgents Consolidate Gains in Iraq as Army Flees Border
Radical Islamists consolidate their gains in the north of Iraq while the army abandons its border posts.
Iraq’s Maliki Boycotts Sunni Party, Lashes Out at Saudi Arabia
Rather than seeking rapprochement with Sunnis, Iraq’s Shia prime minister is relying heavier on his own sect.
Supporting Maliki Could Make Iraq Crisis Worse
The United States can only furnish a temporary respite in Iraq from what is turning into another civil war.
Mosul Kidnappings Underline Failure of Erdoğan’s Middle East Policy
The Turkish prime minister tries to shift blame to the opposition, but it is his own foreign policy that has failed.
Iraq’s Kurds Take Kirkuk as Government Battles Islamists
Taking advantage of an Islamist offensive in the west, the Kurds inch closer to independence.
Islamists’ Mosul Offensive Carries Regional Implications
Sunni militants’ conquest of Mosul puts them in a strategically better position vis-à-vis Iraq and Syria.
Islamist Militants Take Mosul, Discrediting Iraq’s Government
Militants capture police stations and military checkpoints as Iraqi troops flee their positions.