Sistani played key role in Maliki snub
In an op-ed published on Al Jazeera, Hayder al-Khoei, an Iraq analyst at Chatham House, says that Sistani "played a crucial factor in minimising Maliki's chances of remaining in power for the third term."
Sistani did that, Khoei says, by making public a handwritten letter responding to a query from the Islamic Dawa Party - which Maliki heads - on the religious establishment's views on the current crisis.
Khoei:
Sistani's letter made it clear that in order for Iraq to be saved, a new prime minister had to be chosen who has broad support on a national level and who could work with the political leaders of different Iraqi communities. In other words, Sistani was suggesting to the Dawa Party that the solution would be to find someone other than Maliki.
The letter was a game changer because it forced Maliki's own party to find a replacement candidate for the premiership. It was made public in response to Maliki's claim that unconstitutional attempts to unseat him are part of a regional conspiracy. Yesterday, Maliki's own Dawa Party officially endorsed Abadi as the prime minister designate.
Iraq's leading Shi'ite religious figure, Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, delivering a sermon.
Masrour Barzani interview
BBC Hard Talk interview with Masrour Barzani, the son of Masoud Barzani, president of the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG). Masrour is a member of the Kurdistan Democratic Party leadership and the director of intelligence and security in the automous region.
Peshmerga's weaknesses
One of the most troubling surprises of the past week was the ease with which IS militants defeated Peshmerga forces, seizing several towns in northern Iraq, the Mosul Dam, and even threatening to advance on Irbil, the capital of the Kurdistan autonomous region.
Kenneth M. Pollack from Brookings looks at the weaknesses of the Peshmerga. Pollock puts it down to four factors:
First, the seemingly invincible Peshmerga forces of the past have lost a great many of the combat veterans forged during decades of war.
Second, they have not been replaced by the same kinds of recruits.
Third, the Peshmerga have become much more of a garrison/checkpoint army than they were in the past.
Finally, there is the matter of equipment. Peshmerga forces are primarily a light infantry force with a relatively small number of tanks, artillery pieces, armored vehicles, and other heavy weapons.
You can read the full report here.
Stretching the frontlines
IS militants have massed near the town of Qara Tappa, 120 km north of Baghdad, according to Reuters.
Security sources and a local official told Reuters that it is an apparent bid to broaden their front with Kurdish peshmerga fighters. The movement around Qara Tappa suggests they are becoming more confident and seeking to grab more territory closer to the capital after stalling in that region, they said.
Al Jazeera has a video report about Peshmerga Kurdish forces taking the battle to IS militants in the hope of retaking lost territory.
Peshmerga on offensive
More of Maliki's speech
"I announce before you today, to ease the movement of the political process and the formation of the new government, the withdrawal of my candidacy in favour of brother Dr. Haider al-Abadi."
"From the beginning I ruled out the option of using force, because I do not believe in this choice, which would without a doubt return Iraq to the ages of dictatorship, oppression and tyranny, except to confront terrorism and terrorists and those violating the will and interests of the people."
More praise for Maliki