Shows featuring Raed Jarrar

Iraqi-American blogger and political analyst based in Washington, D.C. He was reporting in Iraq two weeks ago.

  • Biden_vp_iraq_bagdhad

    As Biden Visits Iraq Ahead of U.S. Withdrawal, Critics See Last-Ditch Effort to Preserve Occupation

    November 30, 2011 | Story

    U.S. Vice President Joe Biden has arrived in Iraq for an unannounced visit to mark the withdrawal of U.S. troops by the end of the year. Shi’ites supporting Iraqi cleric Muqtada al-Sadr held an anti-U.S. protest in Basra to oppose Biden’s visit. Meanwhile, the Financial Times reports that numerous investment bankers are arriving in Iraq to secure potentially lucrative reconstruction and oil deals even though security remains a concern. We’re joined by Raed Jarrar, an Iraqi-American blogger and political analyst who just returned from Iraq two weeks ago. "Biden’s visit is widely seen in Iraq as the last attempt by the U.S. government to keep U.S. troops beyond the deadline and rename them as military trainers," Jarrar says. "Most Iraqis are worried [that] the Pentagon has not let go of its plans to leave the 3,000 to 4,000 troops under the title 'trainers' and that there will be one last showdown at the Iraqi parliament within the next few days." [includes rush transcript]

  • Iraq_troops_button

    Violence Spikes in Iraq as U.S. Considers Ways to Extend Occupation Past December Deadline

    August 19, 2011 | Story

    It was one year ago today that the Obama administration officially announced it was pulling the last full U.S. combat brigade from Iraq. Today, roughly 46,000 U.S. troops remain in the country, along with more than 64,000 private contractors. This week, as Iraq suffers its deadliest violence of the year, there is increasing speculation that the Obama administration will extend its occupation of the war-ravaged nation. Earlier this month, the Iraqi government authorized talks on whether to approve keeping thousands of U.S. troops in Iraq beyond a withdrawal deadline of December 31. "All of the U.S. troops have [gone] back to their bases since 2009, and they have not been taking any daily patrols to [do] what they used to call 'protect Iraqis,'" says our guest, Raed Jarrar, an Iraqi-American blogger and political analyst based in Washington, D.C., who was in Iraq two weeks ago. "I think the U.S. presence in Iraq is not for protecting Iraqis. It has not been a part of the solution. And it’s actually a part of the problem." [includes rush transcript]

  • Iraq_double_playbut

    U.S. Silent on Deadly Iraqi Gov’t Crackdown on Protests; 300 Arrested in Sweeps Targeting Dissidents

    March 02, 2011 | Story

    While the United States has sharply criticized the Libyan government for brutally cracking down on opposition protesters, it has remained noticeably silent on the recent attacks against Iraqi dissidents. On Friday, tens of thousands of people participated in Iraq’s largest protest in years. Although the protests were largely peaceful, authorities fired water cannons, sound bombs and live bullets to disperse crowds as Iraqi army helicopters buzzed overhead, killing an estimated 29 people. Then, on Sunday, U.S.-backed Iraqi security forces detained about 300 people, including prominent journalists, artists and lawyers, who had taken part in the rallies. [includes rush transcript]

  • Troopwithdrawl

    Obama Admin Claims End to Combat Operations in Iraq, But Iraqis See Same War Under a Different Name

    August 20, 2010 | Story

    The Obama administration says the last combat brigades have left Iraq. Is this the end of the Iraq war or just a rebranding of the US occupation? More than 50,000 troops remain in Iraq as well as 4,500 special operations forces and tens of thousands of private contractors. The US embassy in Baghdad is the largest in the world — the size of eighty football fields. We get a perspective on the so-called withdrawal rarely heard in the US media: that of two Iraqis, Raed Jarrar of Peace Action and Yanar Mohammed of the Organization of Women’s Freedom in Iraq. [includes rush transcript]

  • Coffin-iraq

    Triple Suicide Bombing Targets Foreign Embassies in Iraq

    April 05, 2010 | Story

    At least forty-one people were killed and 237 wounded Sunday in three coordinated suicide car bombings targeting the Iranian and German embassies and the Egyptian consulate in Iraq. The attacks have occurred at a time of political uncertainty in Iraq following the March 7th parliamentary elections. We speak with Iraqi political analyst Raed Jarrar. [includes rush transcript]

  • Iraq-vote-web

    Iraq Vote in Limbo with Veto of Election Law

    November 19, 2009 | Story

    Plans for Iraq to hold elections in January are up in the air after Iraq’s vice president vetoed part of an election law over the allocation of seats to Iraqis displaced by the US invasion and occupation. Vice President Tareq al-Hashemi, who is Sunni, said he objected to Article One of the election law approved by parliament this month because it did not give a voice to Iraqis abroad. We speak to Iraqi political analyst Raed Jarrar. [includes rush transcript]

  • Obamaforeignpolicywebnew

    President-Elect Obama and the Future of US Foreign Policy: A Roundtable Discussion

    November 06, 2008 | Story

    Congratulations pour in from around the world for President-elect Barack Obama after his historic victory Tuesday night. But what are Obama’s foreign policy positions, and what are the concerns for those living in countries at the target end of US foreign policy? We host a roundtable discussion with filmmaker and investigative journalist John Pilger in Britain, Columbia University professor and Africa scholar Mahmood Mamdani, Laura Carlsen of the Center for International Policy in Mexico City, Iraqi analyst Raed Jarrar, Pakistani author Tariq Ali, and Palestinian American Ali Abunimah of Electronic Intifada. [includes rush transcript]

  • Sadrdemoweb

    Iraqis Protest Proposed Deal to Allow US Troops to Stay in Iraq Until 2011

    October 21, 2008 | Story

    On Saturday, tens of thousands of Iraqis demonstrated against the proposed Status of Forces Agreement, but US military chief Michael Mullen warned today that Iraq could risk “losses of significant consequence” if the deal is not approved quickly. We speak to Patrick Cockburn and Raed Jarrar. [includes rush transcript]

  • Bushdefenseweb

    As US Announces Withdrawal of 8,000 Troops from Iraq, Leaked US-Iraqi Draft Agreement Envisions Indefinite Occupation

    September 10, 2008 | Story

    On the heels of President Bush’s announcement of the withdrawal of 8,000 US troops from Iraq by February of next year, we speak to Iraqi blogger and political analyst Raed Jarrar. He has translated a recently leaked draft of an Iraqi-US agreement that outlines the long-term status of US forces in Iraq. Jarrar says the agreement does not set a deadline for the withdrawal of non-combat US troops in Iraq. [includes rush transcript]

  • Bush-sotuweb

    Bush Touts Outcome of Iraq Troop "Surge," Repeats Threats Against Iran

    January 29, 2008 | Story

    In his final state of the union, President Bush once again defended the Iraq invasion and claimed the so-called troop surge a success. Bush also repeated his threatening rhetoric against Iran. We speak with unembedded journalist Dahr Jamail and Iraqi blogger Raed Jarrar. [includes rush transcript]