Iraq catch-all: after Operation Iraqi Freedom ended

[JWing]

In 2006, Francis Fukuyama published America at the Crossroads, Democracy, Power, and the Neoconservative Legacy. In it, he covered three important facets of American foreign policy with regards to Iraq. First, he went over neoconservative ideology, something often talked about with regards to the invasion of Iraq, but little understood. Second, he debunked the idea that it was solely neoconservatives within the Bush administration who were responsible for the war. Finally, he discussed how neoconservatives betrayed their own ideas by how they dealt with the invasion and reconstruction of the country. Altogether, the neoconservatives did contribute to the overthrow of Saddam Hussein that would in the end, help discredit them.

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[JWing]

This video shows M1A1 Abrams tanks destroyed and disabled in Iraq. The first half is a mix of insurgent videos and photographs from the U.S. military, individuals, and the media showing tanks being blown up, mostly by roadside bombs, but later perhaps by Explosively Formed Penetrators (EFPs) or newer versions of the RPG. Footage from militant groups like Ansar al-Sunnah and the Jihad and Liberation Front can be seen. Half way through the images switch to tanks that have simply been disabled by getting stuck in mud, falling off bridges and elevated roads, etc.

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[davidbfpo]

An IISS Strategic Comment:http://www.iiss.org/publications/str...esh-civil-war/

It ends with:

The longer-term risk, therefore, is that Maliki's ambitions may yet drive the country back into civil war.

[JWing]

April 2012 saw a slight increase in attacks in Iraq, but the number of deaths was largely unchanged from the previous month. That’s because just like in March, there was only one day of mass casualty violence in the country. Iraq is still in the in the winter months, and historically this has been when militants are less active.

The three organizations that record Iraqi deaths showed differing trends in April. Iraq Body Count’s initial figures showed 290 deaths last month. That was down from 320 in March, but just around February’s 293. The United Nations’ Inter Agency Information and Analysis Unit had 293 casualties, which was only one more than March’s 294. Both figures were higher than the 254 deaths in February. Finally, Iraq’s Ministry’s said that there were 126 deaths in April, slightly up from 112 in March. Bagdad’s official numbers have consistently been the lowest of the three since the beginning of 2011. That’s likely because Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki who currently holds all the security ministries, is purposely keeping them low to maintain a positive image of the country. All together, the three figures averaged out to 236 deaths for April, which was just below March’s 242, and around February’s 232. January was the deadliest month of the year so far when militants not only used the American military withdrawal from the country to make a point that they were still a force to be reckoned with, but also targeted Shiites who were on a pilgrimage in the New Year. An average of 371 Iraqis were killed in the first month of the year. The daily averages have barely changed since then as well. In February, there was an average of 8.0 deaths per day, followed by 7.8 per day for both March and April. Those are comparable to November and December 2011 when an average of 8.0 and 9.0 people died per day respectively. Since the 2003 invasion, Iraq’s militants have been most active in the hot summer months. During the winter, they are usually quieter, planning and rearming. In the beginning of 2011 for example, there were an average of 9.7 deaths per day in January, 8.1 in February, 8.8 in March, 8.6 in April, before starting to pick up to 9.3 in May, 12.0 in June, 10.1 in July, 11.7 in August, 10.9 in September, 11.0 in October, before dropping down to single figures again when the temperatures dropped.

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[SWJ Blog]

A Discussion with Emma Sky

Entry Excerpt:



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[JWing]

Although the Iraqi economy is dominated by the government, which runs the oil industry, small businesses have always existed, and are currently thriving in Iraq. The problem is that they are a very tiny proportion of the overall Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Their growth cannot currently address the country's employment and development problems, yet there appear to be more of them, which helps local economies. Below are pictures of various vendors and firms seen throughout Baghdad in February, March, and April 2012.

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[JWing]

Iraq’s Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki and the Kurdistan Region’s President Massoud Barzani are currently caught in a war of words about the future of the government. As part of that dispute, the two recently traded barbs about the Iraqi security forces. While visiting the United States, President Barzani told American officials that they should delay the delivery of F-16 fighters to the Iraqi Air Force, because they might be used against the Kurds. Barzani also claimed that Kurdish officers in the armed forces were being sidelined. The central government retaliated by demanding that the Kurdish peshmerga turn over their heavy weapons. These charges will likely continue, and even escalate as the current political crisis remains deadlocked.

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[JWing]

http://musingsoniraq.blogspot.com/20...erga-army.html

http://musingsoniraq.blogspot.com/20...army-2012.html

http://musingsoniraq.blogspot.com/20...army-2012.html

http://musingsoniraq.blogspot.com/20...merga-6th.html

http://musingsoniraq.blogspot.com/20...kurdistan.html

[JWing]

Toby Dodge, Michael Knights, and others discuss political, economic, security situation in Iraq

http://musingsoniraq.blogspot.com/20...ergy-club.html

[JWing]

In May 2012, it was announced that an Iraqi court ordered Lebanese Hezbollah commander Ali Mussa Daqduq to be released from prison. The reason was a lack of evidence against him. This could have been predicted long ago, as his case was based upon an investigation by the American military, not Iraqi judges. In the United States, the decision will be condemned, and people will attempt to lay blame upon the Obama administration, but those comments are really about American domestic politics, rather than a real concern or understanding of the case.

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[JWing]

Iraq’s Vice President Tariq al-Hashemi left Iraq more than a month and a half ago, because of an arrest warrant and impending court date against him. He and his bodyguards have been accused of carrying out over one hundred attacks upon officials and members of the security forces. His stated reason for his departure was a tour of the region to consult with foreign dignitaries and leaders. Currently, he is in Turkey for medical treatment. The way it’s looking however, the vice president may be starting a self-imposed exile as he has quietly remarked that he may not return home until there is a political deal to resolve his case.

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[JWing]

http://musingsoniraq.blogspot.com/20...ing-fired.html

[JWing]

At the beginning of May 2012, Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki made a provocative trip to Kirkuk in Tamim province. There he held a meeting of his cabinet, and declared the city an Iraqi one. This was a bold move aimed at not only his main rivals, the Iraqi National Movement (INM), which won half the votes in the province in the 2010 elections, but also the Kurdish Coalition, that wants to annex Kirkuk. The event was meant to bring back Maliki’s nationalist image, which he had dropped for sectarianism in the last vote, as well as drive a wedge between the National Movement and Kurds who had increasingly been working together to oppose the prime minister.

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[JWing]

http://musingsoniraq.blogspot.com/20...-presence.html

[JWing]

http://musingsoniraq.blogspot.com/20...b-attacks.html

[JWing]

For several months now the Iraqi parliament has been requesting that Minister of Higher Education Ali al-Adeeb appear before it over charges that he abused the law, and followed a sectarian policy while in office. The Minister has repeatedly refused, and his list, Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki’s State of Law has claimed that his summons is unconstitutional. On top of that, the party got the courts to rule that the legislature can only question high officials under special circumstances. This is just one sign of the parliament’s inability to do its job of overseeing the country's affairs.

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[davidbfpo]

JWing,

I wonder if Iran feels a need to secure overland routes into Syria and so supply the regime there. A pity the linked briefing did not have a good map.

IIRC Iran has overflown that area for many years to supply its allies in The Lebanon and Syria.

Given the concerns of the Turks on Syria, let alone Kurdistan, is this reported deployment likely to contribute to tension? Let alone the KRG's reaction!

[JWing]

http://musingsoniraq.blogspot.com/20...qi-prison.html

[JWing]

http://musingsoniraq.blogspot.com/20...s-in-iraq.html

[JWing]

http://musingsoniraq.blogspot.com/20...l-against.html