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Iraq: Evading the Gathering Storm
Should U.S.-Iranian tensions escalate to a shooting war, Iraq would likely be the first battleground. Washington and Tehran should stop trying to drag Baghdad into their fight.
The Iraqi government should redouble its efforts to remain neutral and safeguard the country’s post-ISIS recovery.
- ICG
What’s new?
In June, several rockets landed near U.S. installations in Iraq, and in July-August, explosions shook weapons storage facilities and a convoy of Iraqi paramilitary groups tied to Iran.
These incidents helped push U.S.-Iranian tensions to the edge of confrontation, underscoring the danger of the situation in Iraq and the Gulf.
Why does it matter?
While the U.S. and…