Get all your news in one place.
100's of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Axios
Axios
World

Iraq's politics are chaotic and corrupt 20 years after U.S. invasion

Iraq Jonathan Lord United States

Two decades after the U.S. launched Operation Iraqi Freedom, Iraq is "not free," at least according to the latest Freedom House analysis.

The big picture: The U.S.-led invasion that began 20 years ago this week and swiftly toppled one of the world's most repressive regimes did not, as its architects in the George W. Bush administration hoped, herald a new dawn for democracy in the region.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100's of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Ultraprocessed Meal Raised Insulin More Than a Calorie-Matched Whole-Food Meal in Small Virginia Tech Brain Imaging Trial
Two 300-calorie meals with matching nutrients drew different insulin and metabolic responses in a small Virginia Tech trial. Here is what it means.
Medical Daily
Medical Daily
Trump may kill free chips and salsa
Tariffs on tomatoes could turn one of dining's smallest gestures of hospitality into a line item
Salon
Salon
Selena Gomez Fans Beg Her To Dump Benny Blanco After Latest Comment About Their Relationship
What seemed like a funny story about their relationship left some viewers deeply uncomfortable, with critics accusing Benny Blanco of repeatedly embarrassing Selena Gomez in public.
Bored Panda
Bored Panda
AI can help with academic research but doesn’t always get it right – here are some tips to check the information you receive
Almost 25% of adults in the United States are using artificial intelligence chatbots on a daily basis, a 2026 Pew Research Center study found.
The Conversation
The Conversation
Blink-182's Travis Barker Shares Candid Hospital Bed Photo With Kourtney Kardashian
Blink-182 drummer Travis Barker shared photos from a recent hospital visit featuring wife Kourtney Kardashian Barker and daughter Alabama, without disclosing details of his treatment
International Business Times UK
International Business Times UK
The 'World's Oldest' Bartender's Very Illegal Basement Bar
A recent profile of 103-year-old Irv Koch's basement bar highlights all the ways that modern zoning codes crush novel and fun third places.
Reason
Reason
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.
Download on the AppStore Get it on Google Play