Chaired by Jon Snow (C4)
Patrick Cockburn (journalist and author)
Toby Dodge (QMU, London)
Major General John Batiste (via skype)
Yahia Said (Revenue Watch Institute and LSE)
Dr. Ali Al-Dabbagh (Iraqi government – via skype)

As Iraq’s roller coaster ride continues, the next six months will be crucial in determining the future shape of the nation. The two forthcoming elections, the US election in November and the Iraqi provincial elections in October, along with US-Iraqi agreements over long-term commitments and legal status for military personnel and contractors, have major implications for the besieged state and its people.

Panelists will discuss the possible outcomes and the details of the agreements determining the US long-term commitments to Iraq as well as the divisions within Iraq itself. Are these agreements an excuse for the US to legitimise a long-term occupation of Iraq or are the Iraqis on their way towards a real, if fragile, sovereignty?

Frontline Club:

The Frontline Club started operating soon after the Frontline Television News agency closed down.

The club was set up by the surviving members of the original team of maverick cameramen, and dedicated to the memory of friends and colleagues who lost their lives gathering news and images from the world’s conflict zones.