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.
Balanced fiscal management, targeted deficit reduction, and strategic growth initiatives underpin this year's budget, with a strong emphasis on citizen partnership
What began as a locally rooted trade in coca leaves and opium evolved into a transnational system of cartels that challenged governments, corrupted institutions, and destabilised countries