Once part of the elite, the fortunes of the country's 'third nationality' have fallen. Politically sidelined for supporting Turkey, Iraq's Turkmen have had enough and are now starting to leave.
The Iraqi PM and Joe Biden stuck to the script, emphasising economic opportunities. No one mentioned US troop withdrawal, but Baghdad's tense relations with Iraqi Kurds did come up.
The US president sees commerce and economic cooperation as the best way to bring stability to a war-torn region. Time will tell if this blueprint will pay dividends.
Trump has lifted US sanctions, offering Syria a "chance at greatness". Despite lingering hurdles, for the first time in a long time, there is an electric sense of hope in the country.
Libya's former foreign minister, based in the country's east, says political decisions are no longer Libyan, as he recalls several missed opportunities since 2011.