The war in Iraq presents challenges to all those involved in it, including humanitarian actors. In this issue of the Review, various authors look at the socio-political and humanitarian environment in Iraq today and assess the impact of the conflict on humanitarian law and humanitarian action. The issue is divided into two parts: the first part (Iraq I, December 2007 edition) comprises all articles dealing with the socio-political and humanitarian environment, while the second one (Iraq II, March 2008 edition) is concerned with humanitarian law and action. It is hoped that the author's insights into these topics will contribute to a better understanding of the complexity of this conflict and point towards possible ways to alleviate the suffering of the Iraqi people.