The sudden advance of the Islamist terror group ISIS in Iraq shows how fragile this multi-ethnic state is. Sunnis and Kurds have long felt oppressed by the government of Shiite Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, and are hoping for more autonomy. But Iran and the United States prefer to support Maliki, in an effort to stop ISIS in its tracks. Neither has an interest in seeing Sunni extremists on the rise. The US has already sent warships to the Persian Gulf, and even soldiers to protect the US embassy in Baghdad.

Our guests:

Amir Musawy - Berlin correspondent for Iraqia TV
Andrew B. Denison - director of ”Transatlantic Networks”, a research consortium based in Königswinter, Germany
Michael Lüders – political adviser, publicist and author on middle eastern issues

Read more: http://www.dw.de/quadriga-iraq-and-beyond-time-for-new-alliances-2014-06-19/e-17682667-9798