Syria’s breach of its treaty obligations has led to broad international support for U.S. military action, says CFR’s Lori Esposito Murray.

Haider al-Abadi has unified the country’s Shias, but may struggle to keep their support as he forms a new government and attempts to redress Sunni grievances, says expert Mohamad Bazzi.

Iraq’s two leading parties will probably not pull together a coalition government until September, says Iraq expert Reidar Visser, and Washington has failed to push along the political process.  

Iraq’s political standoff may be resolved with a compromise candidate, says CFR’s Rachel Schneller. But it won’t happen according to a U.S. timetable. And it shouldn’t affect U.S. plans to withdraw c…