Haider al-Abadi

Iraq’s Sovereignty Depends on Fighting Corruption and Curbing Armed Groups

Former Iraqi prime minister Haider al-Abadi argues that Iraq’s central threat has shifted from ISIS to the corruption, patronage, and armed networks that weaken the state from within. He says Baghdad should use the relative respite to strengthen the judiciary, bring wartime militias under legal authority, and prevent elite theft through more transparent institutions. In his account, a durable partnership with the United States and deeper regional economic links should support Iraqi sovereignty—not substitute for it.