iraq

Iraq celebrated on Wednesday the return of hundreds of historical artefacts, from an ancient Assyrian statue to a 20th century presidential tea set, which were looted, lost or loaned abroad over recent decades to universities and auction houses in the United States, Italy and Jordan. 

Several archaeological sites have been attacked by Islamic State jihadis in Iraq and Syria. […] “I think the growing awareness that hard power will not be enough to defeat violent extremism is gaining ground. We need also soft power,” [Irina] Bokova said. “Culture should be part of our response to violent extremism”.

The war on Daesh (the self-proclaimed Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant) in Iraq has resulted in the decline of America’s political role in pinpointing paths of events in that country. The statements issued by some Iraqi politicians have become louder with more of an edge in criticising and degrading the US’s role in fighting the terrorist organisation.

U.N.: A military defeat of the Islamic State in Syria and Iraq could scatter extremists around the globe. Would the world be a safer place if the United States and its allies were to defeat the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria? Not necessarily, according to a senior U.N. counterterrorism official. Extremist fighters have proven remarkably adept over the past three decades at transforming themselves at the close of battles.

Schools need both a national strategy and individualised approaches to prevent the radicalisation of students drawn to Islamic State and other extremist groups, an Edith Cowan University counterterrorism researcher says.

Bombs Then Music In Baghdad

An Iraqi symphony cellist fights bombs with classical music.

Shia women protest the Sunni dictatorship in Bahrain

Javad Rad says the U.S. is "betting on the wrong horse" in the Middle East.

The examples of Iraq and Syria, not to mention NATO’s 2011 campaign in Libya, should be enough to make us stop and think. Bombardment alone cannot replace a political strategy, even if in Libya - a country with Sunni majority - ISIS cannot feed off the same sectarian claims that helped it in Iraq and Syria.

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