Iraq

Policy Analysis on Iraq

Assessing the Military Effectiveness of the Islamic State

The IS military project led not only to the announcement of a “caliphate,” but to the proliferation of jihadist franchises that devastated countries, displaced millions, and killed tens of thousands.

Dec 21, 2021

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Ido Levy

Maps & Graphics

Brief Analysis

Militia Playground: Kinetic Operations Refocus on East Syria

Iran-backed groups seem to be directing their more dangerous attacks against coalition forces in Syria, not Iraq, and the trend could accelerate in early 2022.

Dec 14, 2021

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Crispin Smith
Hamdi Malik

◆ Militia Spotlight

Maps & Graphics

Brief Analysis

The Militia Assassination Surge (Part 2): December Attacks

Desperate militias are now killing Shia civilians in mass-casualty bombings as they try to assassinate Iraqi investigators and intelligence personnel.

Dec 10, 2021

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Michael Knights
Hamdi Malik
Crispin Smith

◆ Militia Spotlight

Maps & Graphics

Brief Analysis

The Militia Assassination Surge (Part 1): Sabereen and Unit 10,000 Threaten Iraqi Forces

Both outlets are openly advocating the murder of Iraqi security forces at a time of escalated shootings and bombings.

Dec 10, 2021

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Hamdi Malik
Michael Knights
Crispin Smith

◆ Militia Spotlight

Maps & Graphics

Brief Analysis

Akram Kaabi's Revealing Speech

Kaabi has long been Iran's chosen man in the self-styled Iraqi "resistance," and his latest remarks seemed like an attempt to seize control of militia public messaging.

Dec 9, 2021

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Crispin Smith
Michael Knights

◆ Militia Spotlight

President Biden and Secretary of State Blinken host the Summit for Democracy. Source: Reuters

Brief Analysis

The Summit for Democracy Skips the Arab World

To address the region’s democracy gap, Washington needs to develop consistent messaging on reform objectives and help its partners focus on achievable goals such as protecting free speech, dissidents, and civil society.

Dec 8, 2021

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Ben Fishman

Brief Analysis

A New Chance at Kingmaking for Iraqi Kurds

With militias on the back foot, the United States should lean on Kurdish and Iraqi leaders to find unity of purpose in confronting the destabilizing actions of pro-Iran groups.

Dec 1, 2021

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Bilal Wahab

Maps & Graphics

Brief Analysis

A Fake KSS Recruitment Drive

Kataib Sayyid al-Shuhada may have exaggerated its recruiting numbers, but the episode points to militias' desperation to look potent and regain leverage by threatening to destabilize Iraq in early 2022.

Nov 27, 2021

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Hamdi Malik
Michael Knights

◆ Militia Spotlight

Maps & Graphics

Brief Analysis

Ashab al-Kahf's Takeover of the Convoy Strategy

Militia attacks on supply convoys are experiencing a (likely temporary) lull, and the sub-group Ashab al-Kahf appears to have taken the lead.

Nov 22, 2021

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Michael Knights
Crispin Smith

◆ Militia Spotlight

A Middle Eastern migrant with guards at the Belarus/Poland border. Source: Reuters

Brief Analysis

The EU Migrant Crisis: Options for Border Security and U.S. Interests

Spurred by conflicts in the Middle East, North Africa, and Afghanistan, the migration emergency in Belarus gives Washington an opportunity to foster cooperative agreements and goodwill.

Nov 19, 2021

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Kenneth R. Rosen
Calvin Wilder

Fake image of MC-12W Liberty over Baghdad concurrent with Nov 7 attack

Maps & Graphics

Brief Analysis

Militia Technical Disinformation and the Nov. 7 Drone Attack

To deflect responsibility for the assassination attempt on Iraq’s prime minister, self-styled "resistance" groups have assembled a dodgy dossier of convincing-looking disinformation.

Nov 17, 2021

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Anwar al-Zamani
Michael Knights

◆ Militia Spotlight

Maps & Graphics

Brief Analysis

Sabereen News Criticizes Iran for Lack of Support

Elements of Asaib Ahl al-Haq and Kataib Hezbollah are seemingly trying to extract domestic and Iranian support for more forceful pushback against their recent political isolation.

Nov 13, 2021

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Hamdi Malik
Crispin Smith
Michael Knights

◆ Militia Spotlight

Quadcopters in Syria and Iraq, 2019-2021

Maps & Graphics

Brief Analysis

Muqawama Meltdown, Part 2: Drone Attack on the Prime Minister

Militias followed up Qais al-Khazali's threats against Kadhimi by attacking his residence, shattering the narrative of victimhood they had been building through protests.

Nov 7, 2021

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Crispin Smith
Michael Knights
Hamdi Malik

◆ Militia Spotlight

Maps & Graphics

Brief Analysis

Muqawama Meltdown, Part 1: Protesting the Election

In the wake of their failed election campaigns and other recent setbacks, militias sought to deepen their claims of victimhood and politically damage Prime Minister Kadhimi with protests.

Nov 7, 2021

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Crispin Smith
Hamdi Malik
Michael Knights

◆ Militia Spotlight

Brief Analysis

Militia Rocket Attacks on the Iraqi National Intelligence Service

Such attacks are a specialized subset of violent militia actions, with the most recent incident likely undertaken by Asaib Ahl al-Haq.

Nov 2, 2021

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Michael Knights

◆ Militia Spotlight

In-Depth Reports

Back to Basics

U.S.-Iraq Security Cooperation in the Post-Combat Era

Questions about the viability of the Iraqi security forces—brought into sharp focus by the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan—require a data-led analysis of where the forces are today and what mix of U.S., NATO, and European efforts can help them thrive in the future.

Oct 26, 2021

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Michael Knights
Alex Almeida

Maps & Graphics

Brief Analysis

Militia Propaganda Around the Attack on al-Tanf

Iraqi militia actors appear to have had forewarning of the attack, reflecting an increasing focus on anti-coalition operations in Syria.

Oct 22, 2021

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Crispin Smith

◆ Militia Spotlight

Articles & Testimony

Discordance in the Iran Threat Network in Iraq: Militia Competition and Rivalry

Hardline groups are struggling to satisfy demands for action against American forces while simultaneously de-escalating U.S.-Iran tensions and evolving their non-kinetic wings.

Oct 21, 2021

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Michael Knights
Crispin Smith
Hamdi Malik

Maps & Graphics

Brief Analysis

Iraqi Militias Show Off Iranian Anti-Air Missile

Iran-backed resistance groups are seemingly staging missile "discoveries" as a way of warning off coalition air forces.

Oct 21, 2021

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Michael Knights

◆ Militia Spotlight

Figure 2: Ahmad Abdal-Sadah, muqawama-affiliated commentator on al-Etejah TV, May 27, 2021.

Maps & Graphics

Brief Analysis

Militias Issue Post-Election Threats Against UNAMI and the UAE

After their humiliating defeat in the parliamentary election, Iran-backed groups launched a bizarre campaign against UN and Emirati officials.

Oct 19, 2021

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Hamdi Malik

◆ Militia Spotlight

Supported by the

Program on Arab Politics

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

Michael Knights

Michael Knights is the Jill and Jay Bernstein Fellow of The Washington Institute, specializing in the military and security affairs of Iraq, Iran, and the Persian Gulf states. He is a co-founder of the Militia Spotlight platform, which offers in-depth analysis of developments related to the Iranian-backed militias in Iraq and Syria.

Bilal Wahab

Bilal Wahab is the Nathan and Esther K. Wagner fellow at The Washington Institute.

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Policy Analysis on Iraq

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Iraq

Policy Analysis on Iraq

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