2012-07-27 By Richard Weitz The Iraqi Security Forces (ISF) have achieved the capacity for internal defense against guerrillas and terrorists, but they still lack the essential capabilities and equipment needed to combat a foreign military. The ISF need more combat air power, sophisticated intelligence, mobilization capacity as well as vital…
6/19/12: by Richard Weitz In addition to these strains between Iraqi Sunnis and Shiites, three sources of Arab-Kurdish tensions exist despite their shared Iraqi Sunni background: territorial disputes, constitutional disagreements, and diverging foreign policy orientations. Since 2003, Iraqi Kurds have simultaneously been creating an autonomous Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) in…
6/10/12: By Richard Weitz Wielding power in a country so easily divided by competing allegiances and identities has never been easy. Although Iraqis’ nationalist sentiments are strong, the nation faces the challenge of overcoming major internal divisions. These include sectarian tensions between the majority Shiites and the minority Sunnis, ethnic…
6/7/12: By Richard Weitz Following a controversial public relations campaign, the United States and its allies launched Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) in March 2003. The Iraqi regime collapsed in a few weeks. In addition to searching for weapons of mass destruction, the occupation authorities sought to establish a new Iraqi…
