Iraq is in a political deadlock. It still has no government, though general elections were held in November.
At the heart of the crisis is the former prime minister, Nouri al-Maliki, who was picked by the majority coalition in parliament as its candidate to take over the role again.
But that choice has been met with strong opposition from United States President Donald Trump.
And that warning has further polarised the political landscape in the country.
So, what’s really behind Washington’s strong stance against al-Maliki? And what