The U.S. War with Iran Goes Hot - What it Means for Iraq and the Region

On January 3, the United States conducted an airstrike at Iraq’s Baghdad Airport killing Qasem Soleimani, a major general in the Islamic Revolution Guard Corps and key facilitator of Iran’s proxy relationships across the Middle East. The strike also killed Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, a significant figure in Iraq’s Popular Mobilization Forces. The strike comes amidst a larger escalation that saw the death of an American contractor in an attack allegedly by an Iranian-backed group in Iraq and violent protests at the American embassy.

To discuss the likely region-wide and significant consequences of this strike, its legal ramifications, and the current moment in Iraq, New America welcomes Douglas Ollivant, ASU/New America Senior Future of War Fellow and Former Director for Iraq, National Security Council; Anne-Marie Slaughter, CEO, New America and Former Director of Policy Planning, U.S. State Department; and, Vali Nasr, Professor and Former Dean, John Hopkins-SAIS, Former Advisor to the Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan. Moderated by Sharon Burke, Director, Resource Security program and Former Assistant Secretary of Defense for Operational Energy.