Jeffrey White was an adjunct defense fellow at The Washington Institute, specializing in the military and security affairs of the Levant and Iran.
Articles & Testimony
Armed resistance to occupation has emerged as a major problem in postwar Iraq. It has become a prime concern of the United States, and casts a shadow over its postwar plans for the country. The United States has set very high goals for its mission in Iraq; armed resistance, leading to U.S. casualties and a climate of insecurity, is one variable that could block the ultimate achievement of those goals. While reporting on the resistance is extensive and sometimes insightful, much of the media coverage lacks context and perspective. It provides only names, places, and the immediate circumstances of attacks, or else personalizes the issue by focusing on the potential effects of the deaths of Saddam’s sons. Coalition authorities have provided various, and sometimes conflicting, descriptions and explanations for resistance. Dealing effectively with resistance—a long-term phenomenon—can only come from acquiring a clear understanding of the problem, and by eschewing oversimplified or politically motivated conceptions of the issue....
