گزارشهای تفصیلی
Part of a series: Sudden Succession Essay Series
or see Part 1: The King Is Dead! Does It Matter? Sudden Succession Essay Series
In Brief
- On September 20, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo reportedly warned the Iraqi government that unchecked militia attacks could spur the United States to shutter its embassy and launch powerful strikes on Iran-backed militia leaders.
- The number and scope of operations against American, coalition, and Iraqi targets has expanded recently.
- Shuttering the embassy is the exact outcome that every Iran-backed militia dreams of achieving. It would be a propaganda victory of epic proportions for Tehran and its proxies.
Editorial note:
This article has been updated to include X, Y, and Z details at 2:07 p.m., Sept. 28, 2020.
Persian Summary
Persian Body
Michael Knights, a senior fellow with The Washington Institute, has conducted extensive on-the-ground research in Iraq alongside security forces and ministries. He is the coauthor (with Hamdi Malik and Aymenn Al-Tamimi) of the Institute study Honored, Not Contained: The Future of Iraq’s Popular Mobilization Forces.