Unraveling Iraq: Why, and What Now

• Anthony Cordesman from the CSIS think tank couches in strong terms the case that al Qaeda’s resurgence in Iraq is largely the result of Prime Minister Maliki’s violent, corrupt and sectarian attempts to consolidate power.

• Ted Galen Carpenter from the Cato Institute agrees, and concludes that “no one should assume Iraq’s continuing survival as a country.”

• Saleh al-Mutlaq, one of 3 deputy prime ministers, hopes that the elections scheduled on April 30 will help stabilize the country, and pushes back against claims that Al Qaeda took control of Fallujah.

• In neighboring Syria, infighting between rebels will give President Bashar al-Assad leverage in peace talks to start in Switzerland next week. But some opposition groups have yet to confirm they will attend the conference.