Violence against Women in War and Conflict
January 17th, 2016 by MERI
In August 2015, the UN Security Council warned that, in Iraq and Syria, sexual violence is being used as a deliberate tactic, saying these acts are war crimes, with claims that Daesh in particular has created a ‘theology of rape’ including sexual slavery.
A Tough Job: Building Democracy in Oil-Dependent Kurdistan
December 6th, 2015 by MERI
A social contract which enables the KRG to escape accountability in return for providing a salary and services is fundamentally at odds with Kurdistan’s democratic aspirations.
Electoral Failures, Misguided Choices: The Finite Point of the AKP’s Kurdish Policy
October 22nd, 2015 by MERI
Irrespective of the results of the coming elections, the AKP has reached a finite point whereby it cannot deliver fully on democratic reforms and resolution of the Kurdish issue. This article suggests that the AKP needs to seriously consider forming a coalition government that is determined to address serious domestic issues. Any other behaviour would reveal its inability to share responsibilities and power.
Negotiations for international loans for Kurdistan should resume with a clearer vision
September 20th, 2015 by MERI
Recent developments damaged beyond repair the confidence investors had in lending money to the KRG. As a result, the only other way out of the current economic crisis, at least in the short term, is to bring in fresh capital to cover for the money Kurdistan is unable to generate internally.
Oil for Food: The Global Food Crisis and the Middle East
September 16th, 2015 by MERI
Like the Gulf countries, Iraq has a high dependence on oil export revenues, food imports and considerable population growth.
Post-Maliki Iraq: An uncertain future?
February 1st, 2015 by MERI
While it is tough to predict how developments in Iraq will manifest in the future, Iraq’s new political dispensation under Haidar Al-Abadi is actively striving to move beyond Maliki’s destabilizing ethno-sectarian legacy and treading the path of dialogue and reconciliation.
The Iran Nuclear Deal: A View from Erbil
August 3rd, 2015 by MERI
Iran and six world powers reached a historic deal on the 14th of July in Vienna. This deal could have far reaching consequences and significantly alter geopolitics in the Middle East.
The HDP’s Next Best Move
June 14th, 2015 by MERI
A HDP-AKP coalition will not only be good for domestic politics, but also will continue to build on the success stories Turkey has achieved in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq.
The Yemeni Crisis: The Prisoner’s Dilemma for Saudi Arabia and Iran
May 31st, 2015 by MERI
The atmosphere of regional volatility and high stakes for Saudi Arabia’s and Iran’s national security, might lead these two countries to strengthen their military positioning on different fronts across the Middle East.
Debating the Iranian Nuclear Deal
May 7th, 2015 by MERI
At the moment, skeptics specially in the US, are vocal in condemning both President Obama and Iran but it may well be argued that regional security is better served through an accommodative Iran engaged with the international community as opposed to an isolated and threatening one.