Page 17 - Coordination Framework News Today

A Kataib Hezbollah hit man was acquitted of all charges despite convincing evidence that he murdered the famous Iraqi commentator and civil society activist.

Washington and allies should find ways to increase the cost to Iraqi politicians of normalizing the militias’ role and the subordination of the Iraqi state to Tehran’s rulers.

The Iraqi judiciary acquitted and released the murderer of prominent researcher and security expert Hisham al-Hashimi last week. Spokeswoman for the judiciary Sinan Ghanem told Asharq Al-Awsat that a court had acquitted Ahmed Hamdawi al-Kinani due to a “lack of evidence.” The court’s decision came after the case was reopened last Wednesday, and al-Kinani was released Sunday, said an official with one of the country's Iran-backed militias.

Iraq's highest court removed the speaker of Iraq's parliament in November, resulting in a deadlock among the main Sunni blocs over selecting a successor.

A poll by the nongovernmental Iraq Statistics Organization found Prime Minister Mohammed Shia’ Al Sudani to have an approval rate of 51%, the highest of any Iraqi official. 

Saudi Arabia announced that it has multiple investments in various sectors in Iraq valued at more than $5 billion.

U.S. leverage in the region could be higher without a troop presence in Iraq.

Most forces could likely be withdrawn or moved to the Kurdistan Region without harming U.S. interests—in fact, Washington might have more leverage in Baghdad without a troop presence.

The Badr Organization leader has suffered bruising blows from other Iran-backed militias seeking to exploit the group's internal dysfunction and divisions.

"The Iraqi militias are not defending the people of Gaza; rather, they are serving Iran's interests in the area," an Iraqi political observer argued.