Senior Program Officer on the Middle East and Africa, National Endowment for Democracy
Iraqi from Hillah, about 60 miles south of Baghdad, who left the country during the unsuccessful 1991uprisings after the Gulf War; Senior Program Officer on the Middle East and Africa at the National Endowment for Democracy, a private nonprofit think-tank funded by Congress
Iraq: That 'Other' War As the US prepares to send 30,000 or more troops to Afghanistan, Iraq has seen a dramatic decrease in violence. But politics is another matter. Today, Vice President Tariq al-Hashimi was given a few more days to approve or veto a new election law that is crucial to the benchmarks established for US withdrawal.
Iraq: That 'Other' War As the US prepares to send 30,000 or more troops to Afghanistan, Iraq has seen a dramatic decrease in violence, less today than at any time since the US-led invasion of 2003. All 120,000 American troops are out of the cities, replaced by Iraqi forces. Complete US withdrawal is supposed to be paved by elections early next year, but powerful ethnic differences — all too familiar -- have caused it to be delayed. Today, Vice President Tariq al-Hashimi was given a few more days to approve or veto a new election law that is crucial to the benchmarks established for withdrawal. Could the inability to form a stable government mean a return of violence? Would American troops be pressed back into action? What would that mean for President Obama's plan to increase forces in Afghanistan?
How was the trip? President Trump's travels got less fun as he went from the Middle East to Europe.
The longest US war: Will Trump send more troops to Afghanistan? The Trump White House is divided over the Pentagon's request for more troops in Afghanistan—where the US has been fighting for the past 16 years. Is there a formula -- either for "victory" or a political settlement? Is there an end in sight for America's longest war?
Will the Senate write a healthcare bill in secret? While Democrats and Republicans argue White House relations with Russia, another question is being decided behind closed doors: who gets help buying health insurance and who doesn't? We hear how the pros and cons are being shrouded in secrecy.
Venezuela spirals into economic and political chaos Venezuela, a country whose potential for prosperity is unmatched, finds itself on the verge of civil war. What sustains the repressive government? With time running out, guest host León Krauze looks at what the international community can do to pull the country from the edge of collapse.