Eve of Iraqi Elections, Marjah Phase 2 and Your Event Invite Inside!

On Sunday, March 7th, an estimated 18.9 million registered Iraqi voters will participate in the country’s second parliamentary election, facilitating what could be their most important transfer of national power. Even if the elections are free and fair, fluctuating coalitions vying for ministerial positions could make the political landscape in Iraq volatile for months to come.
 

The Institute for the Study of War (ISW) has published a detailed backgrounder on this Sunday’s parliamentary elections,  "Iraq on the Eve of Elections", by Marisa Cochrane Sullivan and James Danly.   ISW’s 15-page report offers analysis and likely outcomes from two Iraq experts who have written about the region extensively.

*If you are in the DC metro area next Thursday, ISW would like to extend an invitation to our breakfast event analyzing the Iraqi elections results. More events detail can be found on our website.*

In Afghanistan, U.S. Marines, NATO and Afghan forces continue to successfully clear Marjah and move into holding operations. The next challenge for Marines and ANA will be to hold the cleared terrain in order to prevent enemy fighters from re-infiltrating the area and conducting attacks.
 

ISW analyst Jeffrey Dressler has published a second installment in a series of reports on Operation Moshtarak with a play-by-play analysis of the NATO effort in Helmand, Operation Moshtarak: Taking and Holding Marjah.

Keep checking the ISW website for more updates on Iraq and Afghanistan!
 

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Many thanks,

Megan Ortagus
Communications Director, ISW