Washington’s opposition to the Shiites’ nomination for prime minister highlights the growing strain in U.S.-Shiite relations in Iraq. The reaction of some Shiite leaders suggests U.S. influence in Ir…

Phebe Marr, the author of The Modern History of Iraq, has just returned from a trip to Basra and Baghdad, where she was struck by the “genuine and very lively political process” taking place in prepa…

This publication is now archived. What kind of prime minister will Ibrahim Jaafari make?Jaafari, 58, is a conservative, religious Shiite. For nearly 40 years, he has been active in the Islamic Dawa P…

This publication is now archived. How much influence will ex-Baathists have in the new Iraqi government?That remains to be seen. Prominent Shiite and Kurdish leaders whose coalitions control some 75 …

This publication is now archived. What is the status of efforts to stop the Iraqi insurgency?At least two sets of negotiations aimed at stemming the anti-coalition attacks are under way. In the Shiit…