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Iraq

Policy Analysis on Iraq

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Articles & Testimony

The Role Played by Funding in the Iraq Insurgency

Controversy continues to surround the murky role played by financing in Iraq's insurgency since Operation Iraqi Freedom began two years ago. Lieutenant-General John Vines, the Multinational Force commander in Iraq, stated on 21 June 2005: "These insurgents do not have an ideology except violence and power. They have nothing to

The Three-Way Game:

Iran, Iraq, and the United States

The July 16–18 visit to Tehran by Iraqi prime minister Ibrahim Jafari and ten other members of his council of ministers has been hailed by some as the beginning of a new era in Iran-Iraq relations. In fact, the pattern of near-term relations was set during Iraqi defense minister Saadoun

Michael Knights

One Country, Many Wars

On June 17, 2005, Jeffrey White participated in a forum titled "Occupied Iraq: One Country, Many Wars," the fortieth installment of the Middle East Policy Council's Capitol Hill Conference Series. The following is an unedited transcript of the entire forum. See video footage of the event. Speakers Ivan Eland Senior

Jeffrey White

Articles & Testimony

Battle for Iraq Lies in the South

While conventional wisdom has identified the Sunni triangle as the most conflict-prone part of Iraq, the decisive battlefield for the country's political future is instead likely to take place in the Shia south. This region is already the scene of low-profile and longstanding struggles for political and theocratic authority. In

Michael Knights

In-Depth Reports

Twentieth Anniversary Soref Symposium:

Overcoming Challenges in the New Iraq

On May 19, 2005, Barham Salih addressed The Washington Institute's Soref Symposium. Barham Salih is minister of planning and development in the new Iraqi government. Previously, he served as Iraq's deputy prime minister. An engineer and computer scientist by training, he served as prime minister of the Sulaymaniya-based Kurdistan Regional

In-Depth Reports

Shaping the Plan for Operation Iraqi Freedom:

The Role of Military Intelligence Assessments

The aftermath of the war in Iraq has generated a great deal of second-guessing about Washington's prewar planning and intelligence efforts. Largely missing from this debate has been a thorough examination of the actual military intelligence efforts conducted by professional analysts and war planners outside Washington. In The Washington Institute's

Articles & Testimony

Iraq and After:

Taking the Right Lessons for Combating Weapons of Mass Destruction

The following paper was originally published by the National Defense University's Center for the Study of Weapons of Mass Destruction, appearing as Occasional Paper no. 2. For more on the center, visit its website. Recent proliferation surprises in the Middle East—the failure to find weapons of mass destruction (WMD) in

Assessing the Iraqi Insurgency (Part II):

Devising Appropriate Analytical Measures

In countering insurgencies—wars without fronts, against often-elusive enemies—there is a temptation to rely on quantitative measures to gauge success. Although tracking and assessing trends in, for example, the number of insurgents and attacks is fundamental to any tactical or operational appreciation of the Sunni Arab insurgency in Iraq, a strategic

Michael Eisenstadt

Assessing the Iraqi Insurgency (Part I):

Problems and Approaches

Two years after the beginning of the war in Iraq, much uncertainty and confusion remain regarding the status and direction of the insurgency. This fact has hindered clear discourse about progress, or the lack thereof, in Iraq. For example, much public attention has focused on the number of remaining insurgents

Jeffrey White

Articles & Testimony

Iraq Elections Set Conditions for Summer of Discontent

Although the elections in Iraq did not produce the nightmare scenarios predicted by many analysts, they have set in motion a process of intense political dialogue and violent brinksmanship that is likely to last throughout 2005....

Michael Knights

After Elections:

What Next for Iraq and U.S. Policy?

Freedom As a Strategic Concept Since the September 11 attacks, the Bush administration has radically altered U.S. Middle East policy. Broadly defined, the administration’s view is that democracy and freedom in the region is the central strategic concept offering a serious, long-term alternative to jihadi terrorism. This policy shift marks

Security, Reform, and Peace:

The Three Pillars of U.S. Strategy in the Middle East

The United States is facing an extraordinary moment of challenge in the Middle East, one that demands an integrated U.S. strategy built on a set of three pillars: security, reform, and peace. The security agenda is the most pressing, but it alone is not sufficient. If the United States wants

In the Wake of the Iraqi Elections:

Political and Security Implications

The surprisingly high turnout in the Iraqi elections is a positive development, but it is only one milestone in the road ahead. Beyond the elections, reconciliation becomes the fundamental issue. Sunni Arabs, who represent the overwhelming majority of insurgents, are demographically and politically isolated. As they have long been politically

Michael Knights
Jeffrey White

Articles & Testimony

Northern Iraq Faces Increased Instability in 2005

The Sunni insurgency and the forthcoming constitutional debate in Iraq will start to overlap during 2005, providing an impetus and raison d'etre for continued resistance by militant Sunni groups. Though capable of destabilising and intimidating large tracts of central Iraq, the multi-faceted Sunni resistance does not currently boast the strong

The Elections and the Insurgency

Iraq's elections will mean many things to many people over time. Nevertheless important results of the historic elections are already clear, or mostly so. The fact that Iraqis in general went to the polls in large numbers is encouraging. But paradoxically the elections may also boost the insurgency's claim to

Jeffrey White

Lessons from Mosul

The northern Iraqi city of Mosul and its province Nineveh have become the predominant hub of Sunni Arab insurgent activity, making them one of the areas least likely to be able to host effective polling for the January 30 elections. In the lead-up to the elections, the Multinational Forces (MNF)

Michael Knights

Resistance Strategy in the Trans-Election Period (Part II):

Opportunities, Effects, and Implications

The Sunni insurgents in Iraq aim to establish the resistance as the primary political and military expression of the Sunni Arab community. The upcoming elections give them an opportunity to inflict a substantial defeat on the Iraqi government and the United States. Unlike November’s Falluja battle, the insurgents are fighting

Jeffrey White

Resistance Strategy in the Trans-Election Period (Part I):

Concepts, Operations, and Capabilities

The approach of the January 30 elections in Iraq has focused attention on Sunni resistance activity aimed at disrupting the electoral process. Yet, the increasingly well-organized and more capable Sunni insurgent elements are implementing a broad strategy aimed at establishing themselves as the dominant military and political force in the

Jeffrey White

Iraqi Elections:

What, How, and Who

Iraq’s elections are ready to go forward, but conditions are “far from ideal” in Kofi Annan’s words, due to the growing insurgency, disagreements within the Shiite community, and the logistical difficulties of Iraq’s first ever-free elections. The soon-to-be-elected Transitional National Assembly will play a vital role in Iraq’s transitional process

Articles & Testimony

Outlook for National Elections and Governance

Iraq’s political transition accelerated in 2004 and will experience even more significant advances during 2005. The Iraqi elections represent the next major milestone in the transition, and the winners will fundamentally define Iraq’s future political system. Yet Iraq’s lack of experience with representative government makes forecasts of electoral outcomes difficult

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Linda and Tony Rubin Program on Arab Politics

The Washington Institute's Linda and Tony Rubin Program on Arab Politics focuses on social, political, and economic developments in the Arab world, with an emphasis on the Arab countries of the Levant.

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Featured experts

Michael Eisenstadt

Michael Eisenstadt

Michael Eisenstadt is the Kahn Senior Fellow and director of The Washington Institute's Military and Security Studies Program.

Michael Knights

Michael Knights

Michael Knights is the Jill and Jay Bernstein Senior Fellow at The Washington Institute and cofounder of the Militia Spotlight platform, which offers in-depth analysis of developments related to Iran-backed militias.

Bilal Wahab

Bilal Wahab was the Nathan and Esther K. Wagner Senior Fellow at The Washington Institute.

Elizabeth Dent - source: The Washington Institute

Elizabeth Dent is a Senior Fellow at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, where she focuses on U.S. foreign and defense policy toward the Gulf states, Iraq, and Syria.

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