Iraqi inquiry in the Mosul disaster
In the spring of last year, ISIL swept into northern Iraq. The Iraqi political and military leaders fled in panic. A still secret study is apportioning blame. Don’t look for sweeping reform, though. Allocating offices to the well-connected is just how things are done there. And frail governments want to make sure that the military is led by cronies so the army doesn’t launch a coup. Look how many governments in the region were formed by disgruntled officers.
Houthis launch probing attacks in Saudi Arabia
After months of Saudi airstrikes, and after a string of defeats in the south, the Houthis have launched attacks across the border with Saudi Arabia. This isn’t the first time; the Houthis have also launched missiles and artillery onto Saudi positions. The Houthis may increase the hostilities along the northern frontier as a way to signal Riyadh that they can make things difficult if Riyadh’s southern allies push farther north. The capabilities of the Saudi army are dubious. Let’s see how they perform against sustained Houthis attacks.