#31: Reconstructing Iraq After ISIS

The nonviolent struggle for democratic reforms in Iraq is now well into its fifth month of sustained protests against the government. We talk with Hayder Hamzoz, founder of INSM (Iraqi Network for Social Media), a network of Iraqi bloggers and citizens journalists. Hayder shares his perspective on how the protests work and the critical role that social media activists are playing on both the physical and digital front lines of Iraq's protest movement.

When you think of Iraq, more than likely your thoughts turn to the country's troubles since 2003. However, the roots of those events trace back to one of the region's most consequential wars of the 20th Century. Thirty-nine years ago this week, Iraqi forces invaded Iran's southwestern Khuzestan province, starting the Iran-Iraq war. The conflict saw the region's first use of weapons of mass destruction, an escalation of proxy warfare, a genocide against the Kurds, and the beginning of greater U.S. military involvement in the region. Fueled by arms sales and financing by the U.S., Gulf states, and over a dozen other nations with arms industries, the war dragged on for 8 years. Over a million souls perished. While no lines on the map changed in the end, the war has had an enduring legacy in shaping the region, contributing to events that led to the 1991 Gulf War, the Iraq War, and many of the region's rivalries and proxy conflicts that persist today. For this episode of IRAQ MATTERS, we talk with Joel Wing of "Musings on Iraq" and EPIC's very own Omar Al-Nidawi. Joel is a long-time Iraq watcher who writes "Musings On Iraq", a regularly sited blog of data, analysis, and more than 100 interviews. Omar is a fellow with the Truman National Security Project and EPIC's Program Manager, overseeing our research and field work. Born in 1980, Omar's childhood coincided with the Iran-Iraq war and its aftermath. Join us as we explore a pivotal time in history that deserves far more attention, especially for policy-makers and aid agencies seeking to deescalate the conflicts that plague the region today.

On this edition of IRAQ MATTERS, Basma Alloush of the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) discusses Basra’s water crisis and the implications for the province's 4.5 million residents and for the rest of Iraq. With growing frustrations fueling ongoing protests and unrest, why does Basra matter and what can be done before it is too late?

On this edition of Iraq Matters, Rasha Al-Aqeedi, a native of Mosul and an acclaimed Iraq analyst, discusses Mosul's 3 years under ISIS, ongoing challenges to the city's security and recovery, the role of young people and civil society in the fight against intolerance, and Ninewa's central importance for enabling peace in Iraq.

On this edition of Iraq Matters, Stuart Bowen examines the lessons learned during his ten years as Special Inspector-General for Iraq Reconstruction and how those lessons should be applied to the next phase in Iraq's post-ISIS recovery.

On this edition of Iraq Matters, Iraqi Kurdistan expert Bilal Wahab explains the implications of the September 25 referendum and answers crucial questions on what comes next for the region.

On this edition of Iraq Matters, noted British writer and journalist Cathy Otten explains the situation facing Yazidi families - particularly women and girls - as ISIS is driven out of their homeland in northern Iraq.

On this edition of Iraq Matters, President of Iraq's Reconstruction Fund, Dr. Mustafa al-Hiti, explains the stark needs facing Iraq after ISIS, and the steps underway to rebuild his country's future.

On this edition of Iraq Matters, Moussa al-Naseri, a Baghdad native and witness to the 2007 Mutanabbi Street bombing, and Sarah Browning, renowned poet and peace advocate, commemorate Baghdad's rich history of poetry and literature and examine how those art forms can be used in reconciliation.

On this edition of Iraq Matters, Jen Smyers of Church World Service discusses the history of the US refugee resettlement program, explains the process by which refugees are vetted, and outlines why that vetting process might be of concern