When President Obama withdrew the last combat troops from Iraq in 2011, Iraqis became responsible for their own future. They continue to face political strife, sectarian violence and corruption and mismanagement. As a country in transition in the volatile Middle East, it still merits sustained American interest.
Below are summaries of four editorials that have focused on these issues, along with new commentary from the board.
Dec. 21, 2011: Iraq's Latest Battle
No one expected the dangers and tensions in Iraqi politics to vanish after the last American troop departed. But at least Prime Minister Nuri Kamal al-Maliki, a member of the Shiite majority, might have made an effort to step up to the challenges of creating a future for Iraq based on democratic principles. Instead, he is showing a greater interest in reprisals against the Sunni minority than in encouraging inclusion.
Persistent Stalemate:
Iraqis have not learned to compromise and as a result, stresses continue to batter the state. There are also worsening tensions over oil and federal-provincial prerogatives between the central government and Kurds in the semiautonomous region in the northeast.
Sept. 10, 2012: Renewed Tensions in Iraq
Mr. Maliki's blatant attempts to monopolize power have led Sunni and Kurdish politicians to try to remove him by a vote of no confidence. But opposition groups also deserve blame for the political deadlock. They would better serve their constituents by working with Mr. Maliki to carry out the power-sharing deal struck in 2010, to strengthen democratic institutions and ensure fair elections in 2014.
A Low-level Insurgency:
The best that can be said of Iraq these days is that there is still a political process in play, violence is down from the worst levels of the war and oil production has risen to levels not seen since the gulf war. But violence persists. Al Qaeda affiliates frequently usecar bombs and coordinated blasts to erode Iraqi confidence in the Shiite-led government. The state is still far from the democracy President George W. Bush envisioned.
Dec. 10, 2012: Al Qaeda in Syria
The presence of rebel fighters in Syria that were trained and supported by Al Qaeda poses a serious problem for the United States and Western allies. The Nusra Front, an offshoot of Al Qaeda in Iraq, has become one of the most effective forces fighting against President Bashar al-Assad.
The fear is that the group could hijack the revolution and emerge as the dominant force in Syria after Mr. Assad is ousted from power.
Al Qaeda in Iraq:
American officials seem aware that rebels connected to Al Qaeda in Iraq are playing an increasing role in Syria and that time favors these extremists. The anti-Assad opposition has been losing Syrian "hearts and minds" to these Al Qaeda groups, which have done a better job at delivering assistance to civilians. The Obama administration recently said it would provide more non-lethal aid to the anti-Assad opposition but it will need to be more effective than it has been at getting aid to embattled innocents.
Feb. 28, 2013: Help for Syrian Rebels
President Obama is right to put pressure on Syria's president, Bashar al-Assad, who has been slaughtering his people for two years, and to influence opposition forces that may one day form the government.
Washington is also expected to increase aid to the political wing of the anti-Assad coalition and train rebel fighters. But the problem for Washington and its European partners is how to support the opposition and accelerate the ouster of a brutal dictator without getting pulled into another war in the Mideast.
Mr. Maliki's Fear:
One reason the United States and its allies must do more to bring the Syrian civil war to an end is its impact on neighboring states including Iraq. Prime Minister Maliki is worried that if the Syrian president, Bashar al-Assad, is overthrown, he could be next. Mr. Maliki would be less vulnerable if he worked cooperatively with all of Iraq's ethnic groups, instead of expanding his powers.
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