Militia

Biden Could Midwife a New Iraq

2021-07-07

On June 17, after almost a decade of trying, the U.S. House of Representatives voted by a substantial bipartisan margin to repeal the 2002 Authorization for Use of Military Force , which permitted the invasion of Iraq, the ouster of Saddam Hussein...

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An explicit roadmap to restore the state

2021-01-14

A glimpse of hope was seen with the new government formation of Al-Kadhemi that coincided with ending the threat of ISIS...

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An American Civil War

2020-10-25

Who Are the Would Players?

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Washington Confuses Tactics with Strategy: The Perils of Shuttering the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad

2020-10-13

In threatening the closure, the U.S. administration is undermining the reform-minded Iraqi prime minister’s efforts against Iran-backed militias and risking Baghdad’s relationship with Washington.

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Pushing Back on Iraqi Militias: Weighing U.S. Options

2020-10-01

Although halting the escalation of militia attacks on American personnel is crucial, simply evacuating the Baghdad embassy and downscaling the bilateral relationship would allow Iran to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat.

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Kadhimi’s Rolling Reshuffle (Part 1): Military Command Changes

2020-09-19

To strengthen Iraq’s capacity for resisting militia and foreign influence, Washington should keep supporting the campaign to remake the military one commander at a time.

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From the ‘Republic of Fear’ to the Militias’ Republic of Terror

2020-09-11

The irony seems strange today given that Makiya’s student who dreamed of a state of freedom now presides over the government and has in fact inherited the state...

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The Rise of Black Militias

2020-07-15

Americans Worrying about Violent Overthrow of US Government

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Was Iraq’s prime minister right to go after an Iranian proxy?

2020-07-15

Rocket attacks by Iranian proxy groups in Iraq have been a common feature of the Iraqi security landscape over the past two decades, often causing material damage and on occasion killing and injuring Americans and Iraqis.

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Testing Iraq’s Ability to Crack Down on Anti-U.S. Terrorism

2020-07-01

After Kataib Hezbollah was caught red-handed prepping new rocket strikes, justice needs to be served, and Iraqs government needs to be better secured.

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Is Cairo Going to War?

2020-06-28

The Egyptian military may intervene in neighboring Libya, but it likely wants to avoid a major confrontation.

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The Militia Movement in America

2020-06-24

After keeping out of sight for much of Trump’s presidency, the American militia movement is making itself felt. In the last few weeks, the Michigan militias protected monuments in Hillsdale, Michigan and others were involved in a shooting in New Mexico,

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Disengaged of shrine brigades from the Popular Mobilization Authority (PMA): other factions fears

2020-05-28

The PMF units was created in 2014 following a fatwa, or religious call to action, from Sistani, to defeat the Islamic State (ISIS) after its occupation of large areas in northwestern Iraq. At the begging, all of the PMF units are armed groups following Al

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New American Military Tactics

2020-03-19

Journalists point of view

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How the U.S. Can Stop the Surge of Deadly Rocket Attacks in Iraq

2020-03-16

Congress and the Trump administration should privately agree to some ground rules for timing deterrent strikes on truly high-value targets, while quietly deploying more force-protection assets like Patriot missiles.

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What will happen to Iraqi Shiite militias after one key leader’s death?

2020-03-08

The decision to kill General Qasem Soleimani has received widespread attention. However, another important Iranian military leader, Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, was also killed in the attack. Ranj Alaaldin explains why

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Sanctions on Iraqi Political Figures: Shaping the Impact and Message

2019-07-22

The United States is now designating politicians who place personal or Iranian interests above the needs of the Iraqi people, but these efforts could go awry if locals don’t understand the justification or consequences.

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