What comes next in Iraq?
The country is struggling with escalating bloodshed and delays in forming a government.
More than two months after Iraq’s elections, a government has yet to be formed.
Although some progress is being made toward ratifying the results, the negotiations over the next prime minister are far from over.
Adding to the political vacuum is concern over a possible security vacuum.
US troops are scheduled to withdraw or be confined to their bases by the end of August, and questions remain as to whether Iraqi security forces can maintain law and order on their own.
The US drawdown comes at a time when insurgents have stepped up their attacks. More than 100 Iraqis have been killed in the latest wave of violence.
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Many questions surround Iraq’s near-term future: Will the country lurch back toward sectarianism? Will Shia feel left out of the new government? Will Sunnis feel left out? What will the US leave behind when it finally leaves?
On Monday, Riz speaks with Ali Allawi, a former Iraqi minister and author of The Occupation of Iraq: Winning the War, Losing the Peace.
This episode of the Riz Khan show aired from Monday, May 17, 2010.