The demonisation of Shia is on the rise, argues Abbas Kadhim*
The demonisation of the Arab Shia wherever they live in the Arab world is not new. In modern times, this practice began by the ideologues of Arab nationalism who revised history and (...)
Abbas Kadhim* reviews the reasons behind the strained relations between the US ambassador and Iraq's Shia
The raid on a mosque in Sadr City is another evidence that United States Ambassador to Iraq Zalmay Khalilzad and the top generals on the ground (...)
Three years on, Iraq, argues Abbas Kadhim*, has become the model of what not to do
Three years ago, a coalition of mainly American and British forces made its way into Iraq along the same path of previous invasions, the south. Once again, the Shia (...)
The bombing of the Samaraa sacred shrine roused leaders to call for calm and tolerance. Abbas Kadhim* hopes it is just the beginning
The destruction of the shrine in Samaraa, where the two imams, Ali Al-Hadi and Al-Hassan Al-Askari, were buried, (...)
The only way Iraqis will be able to overcome violence and detract criminals is to establish a viable judiciary, writes Abbas Kadhim
To anyone following the events in Iraq, it is clear that the shrinking multinational forces have been unable to (...)
The northern Iraqi oil-rich city of Kirkuk has emerged as the focus of Kurdish political ambitions, writes Abbas Kadhim
Iraqi politicians who are in the process of framing the future of their country find it convenient to stick their heads in the (...)
The Iraqi elections asserted the preeminence of the united Shia groups and put an end to the ambitions of a number of political claimants. The challenge now is to properly integrate the Sunna, writes Abbas Kadhim
The results of Iraqi elections (...)
Secular democracy in the shadow of occupation does not sit well with a deeply religious society. But can Iraqi voters abroad make a difference, asks Abbas Kadhim in San Fransisco
The vote of the Iraqis of the Diaspora, living mainly in Western (...)
Abbas Kadhim deconstructs the myths currently circulating about Iraq
There are three myths about the violence in Iraq that must be recognised and dealt with before any solution can be found. The first concerns policy towards former members of the (...)
Abbas Kadhim examines the tortuous contours of the Iraqi political map in 2004
Any assessment of the events that took place in Iraq during the past year must consider a combination of three themes: incompetence, corruption and scandals. Together, (...)
Comment:
A way out of the conundrum
Abbas Kadhim sifts through the tangled nuances of the impending Iraqi elections
Although the supporters of rescheduling the Iraqi elections do not come solely from the Sunni Arab community, but instead from groups (...)
The battle of Falluja exposes ominous rifts in Sunni-Shia relations, writes Abbas Kadhim
The battle in Falluja has already reaped the results many predicted, one of the earliest casualties being the fragile trust between Sunni and Shia in (...)
Voting, according to Iraq's most venerable Shia cleric, has become a religious obligation. Abbas Kadhim comments
Deputies of Grand Ayatollah Ali Al-Sistani have warned the Shia of Iraq of the risk of going to hell if they fail to participate in the (...)
The long-awaited Iraqi elections have turned into a political ping-pong game, writes Abbas Kadhim
United States President George Bush, Iraqi Prime Minister Iyad Allawi and Grand Ayatollah Ali Al-Sistani may disagree on many things. Yet, they are (...)
Abbas Kadhim argues that the Iraqi interim government has no tools to deal with either external or internal challenges
Iraq's interim government is dysfunctional. This is the good news -- the bad news is that nothing can be done about this sticky (...)
Events in Najaf have highlighted the impotence of the interim Iraqi government and the strength of the country's religious authorities, writes Abbas Kadhim
When fighting erupted in Najaf it soon became clear that no party was destined to emerge (...)
The current crisis in Najaf is a test for the Shia religious leadership in Iraq, writes Abbas Kadhim*
Najaf lies at the heart of Shia identity, a symbol of the Shia heritage. The city is where the shrine of Ali Ibn Abi Talib stands reminding the (...)
Abbas Kadhim* argues that Moqtada Al-Sadr must be thankful to his rivals
The eruption of the Al-Sadr volcano is, once again, scorching the city of Najaf and several other cities in the south, not to mention Baghdad's largest Shia stronghold, Sadr (...)
The future of Iraq's Shia population hangs in a delicate balance, writes Abbas Kadhim*
The US-led invasion of Iraq in March 2003 created a power vacuum which forced many Iraqis to turn to the only legitimate institution left: Islam. Ayatollah Ali (...)