Iraq is facing a critical moment that lays bare the fragility of its sovereignty, as it is drawn ever deeper into the conflict involving the United States and Israel on one side and Iran on the other. Although Baghdad has declared that it is not a party to the conflict, militias have taken Tehran’s side, while sites inside the country have come under reciprocal strikes.
Iraqi militias turn on the state is the headline of Al Majalla’s cover story this week. Recent developments suggest that long-deferred internal confrontations are now erupting between forces aligned with Iran and others backing state institutions, against the backdrop of an enduring American presence.
As the US-Iran war intensifies, drawing in non-state actors across the region, Iraq is becoming an arena for a struggle over influence and future power dynamics, while the government struggles to establish a monopoly on arms and bring escalation under control. Without decisive action, the country’s future remains hostage to forces that undermine its sovereignty.
Read more:
1. Between war and peace: will Iraq cross the Rubicon? by Ayad Al-Anbar
2. Iraq's internal battle for influence comes to a head by Rustum Mahmud
3. Gulf states should steer clear of attritional war traps by Khairuldeen Al Makhzoomi
