All Policy Analysis by Michael Knights

Looking back one year on, the September 25, 2017 Kurdistan independence referendum and the October 16, 2017 Iraqi overrun of Kirkuk were disastrous setbacks for U.S. national security interests. With Iraq and the Kurdistan Region—America’s key allies in the counter-Islamic State campaign—having fought each other on the battlefield, these partners

Washington is launching a seemingly determined effort to end the war, but are Iran and its Houthi allies ready to compromise with their enemies in Saudi Arabia and the UAE?

Four experts who recently returned from Baghdad and Erbil report on the results of the government formation process.

The United States should keep training and advising Saudi forces if they meet certain conditions, but it should end refueling support to Saudi aircraft operating near Yemen.

Washington should continue its selective approach to restricting the delivery of certain offensive weapons, yet leave defensive procurement on track.

The shuttering of a vital U.S. diplomatic outpost in Iraq sends all the wrong signals about America’s resolve to push back against Iran’s malign activities.

The Saudi-led coalition is already eyeing gains beyond the vital western coast.

Timing is everything, so Washington should coordinate its designations with Baghdad to avoid upsetting the government formation process or throwing Iran a lifeline.

If the West could go back in time and prevent Hezbollah from becoming a powerhouse, they would do so in a heartbeat, so they should not miss a similar opportunity with the Houthis.

The Houthis are more than capable of becoming a ‘southern Hezbollah’ on the Red Sea, a threat that continues to drive the Gulf coalition’s coastal campaign.

The United States can greatly reduce civilian deaths by asking the Saudis to cease non-battlefield airstrikes in return for greater U.S. support on defensive arrangements.

Three experts offer insights gleaned from their post-election fieldwork and high-level meetings in Baghdad and the Kurdistan Regional Government.

The latest tanker attack by Iranian-backed rebels underlines the need to restore the entire Red Sea coast to Yemen’s internationally recognized government.