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An oil tanker is being unloaded with imported crude oil at the Qingdao Port Oil Terminal in Shandong Province, China on April 7, 2026. (Getty Images)
With the U.S. election less than a week away and a new presidential administration less than 90 days away, what changes can be expected for U.S. policy in Iraq? A centerpiece of current U.S. policy in Iraq is the ongoing fight against the Islamic State. The conflict reached a new stage earlier this month as coalition forces launched the offensive to retake Mosul and began planning the Raqqa Offensive.
Beyond the current operation, how should the incoming administration approach the region's challenges as internal and external powers exploit the sectarian rift in the northern Middle East? What strategy should the next president pursue to dismantle ISIS and, more importantly, prevent its resurgence?
Hudson Institute hosted a discussion on the implications of the election for U.S.-Iraq policy, including the critical operation in Mosul. On November 4, former Iraqi Ambassador to the United Nations Feisal Istrabadi and Nussaibah Younis of the Atlantic Council joined Hudson fellows Michael Doran and Michael Pregent for a timely discussion of this important partnership and what lies ahead for U.S.-Iraq relations and the ongoing fight against ISIS.
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Please join the Hudson Institute for a conversation with Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy Sarah B. Rogers and Hudson Research Fellow Zineb Riboua on how the United States is adapting its public diplomacy tools to advance its interests abroad, counter censorship, promote free speech, and leverage artificial intelligence to deliver more effective, targeted messaging.
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(Screenshot via YouYube)
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A team of US Army M3 Cavalry Fighting Vehicles standing guard in the US Central Command area of responsibility on May, 5, 2026. (US Army)
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A Belarusian soldier takes part in the Zapad-2025 joint Russian-Belarusian military drills at a training ground near the town of Borisov, Belarus, on September 15, 2025. (Getty Images)
