General Jassim Saleh’s triumphant march through the streets of Fallujah seemed eerily reminiscent of the Saddam Hussein era, casting a shadow over Coalition Provisional Authority efforts to prepare for the transfer of sovereignty on June 30. Meanwhile, responsible Shi’ite leaders have expressed concern about the intentions of UN envoy Lakhdar Brahimi and his past silence about Saddam Hussein’s abuse of Iraq’s Kurdish and Shi’a population. As a careful balance between Shi’a, Sunni, and Kurd is sought, has the need for a new generation of Iraqi leaders been forgotten? What do current tensions bode for the transition in June?

AEI will host a panel of experts, including Entifadh Qanbar, Hassan Mneimneh, and Bathsheba Crocker, to discuss the face of Iraqi politics in the coming months.