All Policy Analysis by Michael Knights

Rockets continue to fall on American facilities, part of a deliberate effort to keep Baghdad from making Iraq a neutral crossroads in the region.

Three top commanders have been replaced in northern areas where Iran-backed militias are trying to outmuscle the regular security forces. Washington should find out why.

Tehran has reportedly told its militia proxies to be ready for escalation, so Washington must prepare to maintain a full presence in Iraq even under potentially increased fire.

If Iran duplicates its formula from Lebanon, Syria, and Yemen by sending long-range missiles to Iraq, then future conflicts with Israel would likely include military action on Iraqi soil.

A spirited policy debate is underway within the corridors of power in Washington D.C. over the manner in which the United States should view and treat the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF), Iraq’s web of paramilitary organizations. It takes a great deal of concern to elevate such a niche issue to

Baghdad is suing Ankara for giving the Kurds independent pipeline access, but the biggest loser may be Washington’s pressure campaign on Iran.

If the battle lines stay where they are now, with the capital and largest port still out of government control, then the Iranian-backed Houthis will effectively have won the war.

Washington should accelerate common-sense economic efforts that can help right away, even as the fraught, slow-moving UN peace process continues.

There are alternatives to the overt presence of U.S. controllers on the ground, and allies can help maintain the tempo of strikes in various ways.

The U.S.-led coalition to defeat the Islamic State is the strongest alliance Iraq has ever enjoyed, but much of the resultant international attention and support could dissipate if forces are removed.

The Iraqi militia seeks to follow peers like the Sadrist movement and Badr Organization, but it must first back up its rhetoric with moderating actions.

The Saudi-led coalition would face several tactical and diplomatic challenges if full-scale fighting resumes on the coast, so it may seek a gradual, low-profile reduction of the Houthi presence.

Amid mounting evidence that the rebels are trying to collapse the ceasefire, Washington should rally a multinational demarche to accelerate their withdrawal from key ports and urban areas.

To pressure Iran without cornering Iraq, U.S. officials should set a program of activities with achievable timeframes, supported by public diplomacy.

If Washington abandons its low-cost, high-impact approach to fighting ISIS in Syria, it will pave the way for a host of bad actors to reestablish themselves there.

Attack data shows that the group is enthusiastically regrouping in a more concentrated area of northern Iraq, and the government is not adapting fast enough to stop it.