It’s been nearly fifteen years since Labour’s last election-winning leader left No 10. Since 2007, it’s fair to say that Sir Tony’s reputation has, to put it mildly, fallen. Whether it be the findings of the Chilcot Inquiry into the…
On December 31st 2021, the New Year’s Honours were announced. One name stuck out like a sore thumb, making his inclusion one of the most controversial in recent years. That being former Prime Minister Tony Blair, who was given a…
What is ISIL doing? ISIL, the so-called Islamic State, has brought nothing but pain and destruction since it emerged in 1999. This terrorist group participated in the Iraqi insurgency following the 2003 invasion by Western forces. As a result, these…
If you have lived at almost any point in the 21st Century, you will probably be aware that Iraq is not the most peaceful place in the world. For many it is synonymous with war, destruction and – of course –…
On 12 May, parliamentary elections were held across Iraq to decide the next holders of the 329 seats in the Council of Representatives. As the sole legislative body, parliament is responsible for appointing the country’s president and, by extension, the…
In 2011, at the beginning of the Syrian civil war, Russia provided financial and indirect military aid to Bashar Al Assad. Then from 2015 they started providing direct military involvement. Their reasons for doing so were quite clear. Assad’s regime was favourable…
Iraq’s autonomous Kurdistan Region is now looking to begin dialogue with Baghdad and has offered to ‘freeze’ the results of the independence referendum held in September after a string of violent clashes between Iraqi Security Forces and Kurdish militias. The…