“There seems to be hope that Kadhimi is genuinely committed to reform and to reorienting Iraq away from Iran,” says Raad Alkadiri, an Iraqi-born energy consultant who worked as an adviser to the British government during the post-2003 occupation. But he cautions: “The problem is that the prime minister lacks any autonomy; he is beholden to the political parties and is forced to maneuver between them. He also knows how powerful Iran can be. As such, he has tried to be all things to all parties, and increasingly disappointed all of them.”

Source: Washington Post July 17, 2021 12:00 UTC