Iraq’s government formation is deadlocked after Trump vetoed Maliki, with Kurdish mediation now seeking to resolve the crisis.
Browsing: Iraq
Sudani’s second-term bid faces rival Maliki, Iran’s preference for a weak premier, and recent militia clashes.
Intra-Kurdish rivalry over the Iraqi presidency threatens to stall government formation, complicating Sudani’s bid for a second term.
Trump’s threat to withdraw U.S. support may boost Maliki’s nationalist appeal, framing him as a symbol of resistance to external interference.
Iraq’s elite U.S.-funded CTS is being penetrated by Iran-backed militias, with training and equipment diverted—Washington must act swiftly.
Trump’s coercive diplomacy toward Iran, pairing force with maximalist demands, risks deadlock and escalation, not a sustainable nuclear deal.
Sadr’s 2022 withdrawal was a strategic repositioning; through social activism, his movement remains influential and poised for a comeback.
Sudani’s bloc won most seats, but Shia rivals and U.S.-Iran tensions complicate his path to a second term.
Iran-backed Afghan and Pakistani fighters are entering Iraq as “pilgrims” and integrating into PMF bases, challenging Baghdad’s sovereignty.
Washington demands sovereignty from an Iraq it dismantled and abandoned, managing a fragile system it created while refusing to acknowledge its own role.