Given its significance as the “city of struggle and sacrifice” for its role at the vanguard of Ba’ath regime resistance, it may appear ironic that Sulaymaniyah is unmoved by President Massoud Barzani’s appeals to Kurdish nationalism and statehood.

The upcoming independence referendum in Iraqi Kurdistan is partially a consequence of the failure of Iraqi political leaders to grant the Kurds their constitutional rights.

The connection between the Middle East’s refugee crisis and Europe’s rising Islamophobia is cyclical. As long as the refugee crisis persists, brought on by the various conflicts in the region, Europe will face an influx of migrants, thus spurring anti-Islamic sentiment on the continent.

Africa has become a new competing arena between Saudi Arabia and Iran. Both states have turned their focus to the continent, developing ties with a number of African states on both economic and security levels.

Although the Syrian war is far from over, the I.R.G.C. is already looking for financial rewards for its support to the embattled regime of Bashar al-Assad in the past six years.

Given its significance as the “city of struggle and sacrifice” for its role at the vanguard of Ba’ath regime resistance, it may appear ironic that Sulaymaniyah is unmoved by President Massoud Barzani’s appeals to Kurdish nationalism and statehood.

The upcoming independence referendum in Iraqi Kurdistan is partially a consequence of the failure of Iraqi political leaders to grant the Kurds their constitutional rights.

The connection between the Middle East’s refugee crisis and Europe’s rising Islamophobia is cyclical. As long as the refugee crisis persists, brought on by the various conflicts in the region, Europe will face an influx of migrants, thus spurring anti-Islamic sentiment on the continent.

Africa has become a new competing arena between Saudi Arabia and Iran. Both states have turned their focus to the continent, developing ties with a number of African states on both economic and security levels.

Although the Syrian war is far from over, the I.R.G.C. is already looking for financial rewards for its support to the embattled regime of Bashar al-Assad in the past six years.