Joost Hiltermann

International Crisis Group - Middle East and North Africa

Joost Hiltermann appears in the following:

Iraq: The Dangers of Drawdown

Tuesday, June 07, 2011

Monday was the deadliest day for U.S. troops in Iraq in months as an insurgent attack killed five U.S. soldiers stationed in Baghdad. The country is still a dangerous place to be even as the United States prepares to begin the final withdrawal of American troops from the country. "There are people out there who are trying to kill you," says John Kamin, who was in the Army when he was deployed iwht the Louisiana National Guard in March, 2010. He says "to me it's reminiscent of the earlier days in the war." Kamin is a member and spokesman of Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America.

Comment

Last Combat Brigade Leaves Iraq: Reflecting on War, Looking Ahead

Thursday, August 19, 2010

The last combat brigadee left Iraq, yesterday, marking the end of the active combat phase of Operation Iraqi Freedom. 50,000 troops still remain, but are tasked to non-combat operations. The Obama administration has pledged to withdraw all troops from Iraq by October 2011, at which point security operations are to be transferred to Iraqi forces. In a statement, President Barack Obama called this a "milestone in the Iraq war," and State Department Spokesman P.J. Crowley labeled it "an historic moment."

But is it premature – yet again – to say, "mission accomplished?"

Comment

Iraq: The Impasse

Tuesday, August 17, 2010

Joost Hiltermann, contributor to the New York Review of Books and the Middle East and North Africa Deputy Program Director at the International Crisis Group, discusses Iraq's political climate in the four months since its elections and the fear of a Baath Party resurgence. His article "Iraq: The Impasse," in the New York Review of Books summer issue, explains the apparent stalemate in the formation of a new government and explores this precarious stage in the country's development.

Comment

Obama Keeps Promise on Iraq Withdrawal, But Baghdad Still Shakes

Tuesday, August 03, 2010

At the beginning of his presidency, President Obama pledged to cease combat operations in Iraq by August 31st, 2010. As we near that deadline, Obama seems on track to keep his promise. By the end of this month, combat operations will cease, and only 50,000 support troops will remain in Iraq. By the end of 2011, the president says, they will all come home. 

 

Comments [1]

Obama Sticks to Plan for Iraq Troop Drawdown Despite Obstacles

Friday, May 14, 2010

The Obama administration says the planned drawdown of 50,000 U.S. troops in Iraq is moving forward on schedule. There are currently around 94,000 U.S. troops in Iraq and a September 1 deadline is looming large for American officials. This comes despite post-election violence across the country and delays in the formation of the Iraqi government.

Comments [1]

Two Suicide Bombs Strike Central Baghdad

Monday, October 26, 2009

Two suicide bombs exploded in the heart of central Baghdad on Sunday, killing at least 155 people. Analysts say more violence is expected in the run-up to January's general election. ...

Comment