After the Kurdistan Referendum: Iraq’s Road to Reconciliation
October 24th, 2017 by MERI
The Kurdistan referendum has opened the way for Baghdad and Erbil to prioritise serious negotiations.
Is Kurdistan Independence Inevitable?
September 15th, 2017 by MERI
It could be more constructive for all stakeholders to assist Baghdad and Erbil to reach a mutually acceptable agreement
Universities are rising from ruins of war
August 20th, 2017 by MERI
Kurdistan shows that post-conflict countries can build a thriving higher education sector by working with foreign partners
Kurdistan: a potential strategic partner the US deserves
July 25th, 2017 by MERI
Through constructive engagement and promotion of rule of law, the US should help the Kurdistan Region of Iraq become a strategic partner. The Kurds can be instrumental in helping the US mend fences across the region.
The Referendum in Turkey: A Pyrrhic Victory and Continuous Crisis
April 19th, 2017 by MERI
The narrow victory of Recep Tayyip Erdogan in the referendum on 16 April does not guarantee a politically strong and trouble-free presidency.
Planning Post-IS Iraq: Competing Visions Within the Shia Block?
March 12th, 2017 by MERI
The Shia Block is realistically the key determinant for national reconciliation to occur in Iraq. However, its internal divisions make it a problematic and non-unitary interlocutor for national, regional, and international initiatives.
Yet Another War in Shingal: The Sword of Damocles
March 5th, 2017 by MERI
On 3 March, clashes erupted between the PKK-linked forces and the KDP’s Rojava Peshmerga near Khanasor in the district of Shingal.
Iraq and Libya: common challenges for the years ahead
February 8th, 2017 by MERI
Iraq and Libya are facing similar challenges: a post-IS recovery; a fiscal crisis and striking a power balance between central and local authorities.
Normalisation in Ankara-Baghdad Relations: A New Era?
January 26th, 2017 by MERI
This policy brief argues that the main challenge for the normalisation of Ankara-Baghdad relations lies with the fact that a win-win scenario of overlapping or complementary interests does not seem to be driving the leaderships’ actions.
The Future of the Middle East
December 20th, 2016 by MERI
Policy makers of Iraq and the KRI who wish to pursue paths of their own design, must look carefully at the trends in power dynamics and the policies of the global and regional powers before designing their strategies.