By SETH J. FRANTZMAN The latest Lead Inspector General (Lead IG) quarterly report on the status of Operation Inherent Resolve (OIR) includes 105 mentions of “Iran.” It covers the period of […]
By SETH J. FRANTZMAN The US is concerned that Hadi al-Amiri’s Fatah Alliance will form the next government in Iraq. After it came in second in the elections in May […]
Breaking: Mystery surrounds overnight airstrikes on pro-Syrian regime fighters June 18, 0800 hours Jerusalem time After Syrian regime blamed US and US denied the attacks, questions remain over who carried […]
By Seth J. Frantzman The rapid and unprecedented fall of Kirkuk on October 16, 2017 will likely be remembered as a turning point in Kurdish history and perhaps Iraq’s history. […]
By SETH J. FRANTZMAN There is an article making its rounds claiming an independent Kurdistan would be a “failed state.” It has been republished by Newsweek, the website eKurd, and the […]
By SETH J. FRANTZMAN Just after noon on May 29th the Hashd al-Shaabi, or Popular Mobilization Units (PMU), a mostly Shia group of militias that have been officially part of […]
By SETH J. FRANTZMAN ISIS is being defeated in Iraq. As Mosul falls to the Iraqi security forces after six months of conflict, many pieces are falling into place in […]
By Seth J. Frantzman On October 17, 2016 the Iraqi central government launched the long-awaited Mosul offensive. Thousands of Iraqi army soldiers from three units, the 9th Armored, the 16th […]
Seth J. Frantzman - author - analyst 