Iraq must choose the Arab path before it is too late

For decades, Iraq has occupied a pivotal position in the Arab world. It is a founding pillar of the regional order, a country whose stability has always been inseparable from the stability of its neighbors. Yet today, Iraq finds itself at a dangerous crossroads — not because of external enemies alone but because armed groups operating from within its borders continue to undermine its sovereignty and threaten the security of neighboring Arab states. The last thing Iraq needs at this critical moment is a confrontation with its Arab neighbors.