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Hussain Abdul-Hussain

Hussain Abdul-Hussain is the Washington bureau chief of Kuwaiti daily Al-Rai and a former visiting fellow at Chatham House in London. Previously, he helped launch and manage the Iraqi stream of the Arabic TV network Alhurra. Before relocating to Washington, Abdul-Hussain worked as a reporter, and later as managing editor, for Lebanon’s The Daily Star. He has reported from conflict zones on the border between Lebanon and Israel, and from Baghdad shortly after the fall of the Saddam Hussein regime. Abdul-Hussain has also contributed articles to US newspapers, including The New York Times and the Washington Post, and appeared on American TV news networks such as CNN and MSNBC. In addition, he is a frequent commentator on Arabic satellite TV networks.

Articles By Hussain Abdul-Hussain

Iran’s Reaction to Soleimani’s Death Shows Its Ability to Wage Asymmetric War Has Been Blunted By Hussain Abdul-Hussain - Jan 12, 2020

Seventeen years after its blunder in the 2003 Iraq War, America has regained its mojo. It was previously thought inconceivable that Washington would dare assassinate the Iranian Quds Force general, Qassem Soleimani. Not only did it do so, but, judging from Tehran’s response, America also managed to neuter Iran’s ability to conduct non-state level warfare. … Continue reading “Iran’s Reaction to Soleimani’s Death Shows Its Ability to Wage Asymmetric War Has Been Blunted”

Hezbollah Broke Lebanon. Now Hezbollah Owns Lebanon By Hussain Abdul-Hussain - Jan 3, 2020

“Consensus democracy” is the buzzword of Lebanon’s sectarian politics, in which candidates for the highest state positions must have cross-sectarian approval. That, at least, is the theory. In practice, Hezbollah has no qualms about trampling on consensus when it suits the pro-Iran Shia agenda.  Together with President Michel Aoun and his Maronite Christian supporters and … Continue reading “Hezbollah Broke Lebanon. Now Hezbollah Owns Lebanon”

Once the Switzerland of the Levant, Lebanon Is Now the Venezuela of the Middle East By Hussain Abdul-Hussain - Dec 16, 2019

Lebanon is in chaos. The streets are filled with protesters tired of living in a country where nothing works. Yet the government persists in the belief that the protests are about its performance, rather than the root-and-branch reforms that the protesters are demanding. There has been no functioning government in Lebanon since Prime Minister Saad … Continue reading “Once the Switzerland of the Levant, Lebanon Is Now the Venezuela of the Middle East”

Elections Will Not Liberate Iraq From Its Greatest Scourge – Iran By Hussain Abdul-Hussain - Nov 24, 2019

When, out of 329 elected lawmakers, the Iraqis picked the unelected Adel Abdul-Mahdi for prime minister, he was said to be the compromise choice. In fact, he was chosen for his weakness, to be a figurehead, representing the status quo. So with Iraqis now on the streets demanding root-and-branch reform of their political system, it is hardly surprising that the state … Continue reading “Elections Will Not Liberate Iraq From Its Greatest Scourge – Iran”

The US Congresswoman Pushing Turkey’s Agenda By Hussain Abdul-Hussain - Nov 10, 2019

Members of the US Congress who put country before party are described as honest and free-spirited mavericks. But when a legislator puts another country before party, it raises some eyebrows. Over the past month, Ilhan Omar, the Democratic Congresswoman from Minnesota, has defied her party three times by casting her vote in ways that apparently … Continue reading “The US Congresswoman Pushing Turkey’s Agenda”