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The Parallel Security Apparatus: Examining the Cases of Baathist Iraq, Syria, and Iran UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones 12-15-2019 The Parallel Security Apparatus: Examining the Cases of Baathist Iraq, Syria, and Iran Donald Utchel Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalscholarship.unlv.edu/thesesdissertations Part of the International Relations Commons Repository Citation Utchel, Donald, "The Parallel Security Apparatus: Examining the Cases of Baathist Iraq, Syria, and Iran" (2019). UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones. 3853. http://dx.doi.org/10.34917/18608810 This Dissertation is protected by copyright and/or related rights. It has been brought to you by Digital Scholarship@UNLV with permission from the rights-holder(s). You are free to use this Dissertation in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. For other uses you need to obtain permission from the rights-holder(s) directly, unless additional rights are indicated by a Creative Commons license in the record and/or on the work itself. This Dissertation has been accepted for inclusion in UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones by an authorized administrator of Digital Scholarship@UNLV. For more information, please contact [email protected]. THE PARALLEL SECURITY APPARATUS: EXAMINING THE CASES OF BAATHIST IRAQ, SYRIA, AND IRAN By Donald M. Utchel Bachelor of Arts – History University of Nevada, Las Vegas 2012 Master of Arts – International Relations Webster University 2014 A dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Doctor of Philosophy – Political Science Department of Political Science College of Liberal Arts The Graduate College University of Nevada, Las Vegas December 2019 Dissertation Approval The Graduate College The University of Nevada, Las Vegas August 28, 2019 This dissertation prepared by Donald M. Utchel entitled The Parallel Security Apparatus: Examining the Cases of Baathist Iraq, Syria, and Iran is approved in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy – Political Science Department of Political Science Tiffiany Howard, Ph.D. Kathryn Hausbeck Korgan, Ph.D. Examination Committee Chair Graduate College Dean John Tuman, Ph.D. Examination Committee Member Michele Kuenzi, Ph.D. Examination Committee Member Michelle Tusan, Ph.D. Graduate College Faculty Representative ii Abstract This dissertation examines the phenomena of the parallel security apparatus in the cases of Baathist Iraq, Syria, and Iran. Parallel security structures are often limited to books and articles published on secret police organizations in the broader security literature. Their research often focuses on one branch of the parallel security apparatus rather than examining all the parallel security institutions of that particular regime. This body of research attempts to bring further light to this particular phenomenon by examining all the parallel security institutions in a particular case and to connect and trace the various parallel security institutions to see if there is a connection between regime durability and the existence of a parallel security apparatus. This dissertation infers that institutional continuity of parallel security structures provide organizational incentives to sustain authoritarian regimes in the Middle East and possibly other regions of the world. By examining the cases of Baathist Iraq, Syria, and Iran with their well- entrenched and extensive parallel security structures, the gap between regime survival and parallel security institutions is brought closer together. iii Acknowledgements I would like to acknowledge the hard work of my committee chair, Dr. Howard, in helping to navigate the dissertation process. Dr. Howard worked tirelessly reviewing and providing revisions that led to the establishment of this document. I appreciate her guidance and mentorship throughout this dissertation. I would also like to extend my gratitude for my other committee members which include: Dr. Tuman, Dr. Kuenzi, and Dr. Tusan, for their time and instruction while I was a student at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. iv I would like to dedicate this dissertation to Bernadette Lazar, Tony Lazar, Rebecca Lazar, Don Utchel, and Becky Utchel for all the support and love they have provided me throughout this dissertation. The care and guidance throughout this whole process made this dream come true! God Bless! v Table of Contents Abstract ........................................................................................................................................iii Acknowledgements ......................................................................................................................iv List of Tables ...............................................................................................................................vii List of Figures ............................................................................................................................viii Chapter One Introduction ...........................................................................................................1 Chapter Two Literature Review ................................................................................................12 Chapter Three Theory and Research Design ...........................................................................45 Chapter Four Baathist Transition from Bakr to Hussein .......................................................65 Chapter Five Baathism and the Assad Dynasty .....................................................................138 Chapter Six From the Reign of the Shah to the Islamic Republic of Iran ..........................197 Chapter Seven Conclusion .......................................................................................................267 Appendix ....................................................................................................................................281 Bibliography ..............................................................................................................................283 Curriculum Vitae ......................................................................................................................320 vi List of Tables Table 4.1 - Republican Guard Tribal Recruitment 1982-1983 ...............................................95 Table 4.2 - Number of Recorded Terrorist Attacks against the Baathist Regime from 1992 to 2002 .........................................................................................................................................133 Table 5.1 - Personnel Strength of Syrian Parallel Military Organizations (1987) ..............155 Table 5.2 - Personnel Strength of Syrian Parallel Military Organizations (1998) ..............165 Table 5.3 - Personnel Strength of Syrian Parallel Military Organizations (2010) ..............172 Table 6.1 - The Parallel Security Apparatus under the Shah ...............................................204 Table 6.2 - Expansion of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps from 1979 to 1987 ......222 Table 6.3 - Iranian Ground Forces in 1983 ............................................................................243 vii List of Figures Figure 4.1 - The Initial Invasion of Iran, 1980 .........................................................................84 Figure 4.2 - Iran’s Fajr Offensives 1983 to 1986 ......................................................................98 Figure 4.3 - Republican Guard Invasion of Kuwait ..............................................................108 Figure 4.4 - Iraqi Intelligence Apparatus by Late 90s ...........................................................123 Figure 4.5 - Map of Northeastern Iraqi with Iranian Infiltration Attempts .......................126 Figure 5.1 - Syria’s Elite Parallel Military Organizations in 2011 by Brigade ...................181 Figure 5.2 - National Defense Forces by Province .................................................................184 Figure 6.1 - Map of Iranian Battle Lines in 1983 ...................................................................246 Figure 6.2 - Iran’s Security Establishment in 2009 ...............................................................257 viii Chapter One Introduction The security literature in the field of political science has touched upon various conflicts that have occurred within states and between states in the international system. During the early and mid-20th century, scholarly works focused primarily on interstate conflict within the comparative and international relations literature, while the late-20th and 21st century have focused primarily on the impact of transnational groups and asymmetrical warfare on state actors and governance. While this research has been profound in its findings, by expanding on the security literature, little research has been done on the parallel security apparatus and its impact on conflict and the role it plays in preserving governance structures within countries. It is important to identify the factors that contribute to regime stability in the Middle East and to better understand the durability of authoritarian regimes because parallel security structures are one such mechanism that has been indentified as central to authoritarian regime stability in the Middle East but the existing literature does not examine the features within these institutions that actually lend themselves to regime survival.
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