IRAQ VIOLENCE Iraq has been wracked by levels of violence unseen since 2008. Host Carol Castiel speaks with Sarhang Hamasaeed, an Iraq specialist at the U.S. Institute of Peace, about the many factors behind the resurgence of al Qaida in Iraq and the growing sectarian divide between the Sunni and Shiite communities. Hamasaeed tells VOA that Washington must not only bolster Iraqi security forces but also assist Prime Minister Nouri al – Maliki and his Shiite-dominated government in addressing the political grievances of the minority Sunni community, at the root of recent tensions. Hamasaeed also previews crucial nationwide elections in April.