DOCSLIB.ORG

Thesis Submitted for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text

Load more

University of Bath PHD The new political settlement in Iraq An examination of the role of Shi’a NGOs Aljabiri, Janan Award date: 2015 Awarding institution: University of Bath Link to publication Alternative formats If you require this document in an alternative format, please contact: [email protected] General rights Copyright and moral rights for the publications made accessible in the public portal are retained by the authors and/or other copyright owners and it is a condition of accessing publications that users recognise and abide by the legal requirements associated with these rights. • Users may download and print one copy of any publication from the public portal for the purpose of private study or research. • You may not further distribute the material or use it for any profit-making activity or commercial gain • You may freely distribute the URL identifying the publication in the public portal ? Take down policy If you believe that this document breaches copyright please contact us providing details, and we will remove access to the work immediately and investigate your claim. Download date: 02. Oct. 2021 The new political settlement in Iraq: An examination of the role of Shi’a NGOs Janan Mudalal Aljabiri A thesis submitted for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy University of Bath Department of Social and Policy Sciences April 2015 Copyright Attention is drawn to the fact that copyright of this thesis rests with the author. A copy of this thesis has been supplied on condition that anyone who consults it is understood to recognise that its copyright rests with the author and that they must not copy it or use material from it except as permitted by law or with the consent of the author. This thesis may be made available for consultation within the University Library and may be photocopied or lent to other libraries for the purposes of consultation 1 Contents Contents ...........................................................................................................................2 Acknowledgments ............................................................................................................5 Abstract ............................................................................................................................7 Abbreviations ...................................................................................................................9 Glossary ......................................................................................................................... 11 Part 1 ............................................................................................................................. 13 Chapter 1: Introduction ...................................................................................................... 13 1.1 The NGOs in the Western context: motivation and roles......................................... 13 1.2 The NGOs in the Islamic context: motivation and roles ........................................... 15 1.3 My positioning in the field ........................................................................................ 17 1.4 The aims and objectives of the research .................................................................. 18 1.5 The contentions and findings of the research .......................................................... 20 1.6 The organisation of the thesis ................................................................................... 22 Chapter 2: Literature Review ............................................................................................. 25 2.1 Introduction .............................................................................................................. 25 2.2 An introduction to NGOs in the developed and developing contexts ...................... 25 2.2.1 NGOs: Definition and tasks ................................................................................ 28 2.3 Introducing religious NGOs ....................................................................................... 32 2.4 Islamic NGOs: Islam, charity and politics .................................................................. 35 2.4.1 Political Islam ..................................................................................................... 36 2.4.2 Islamisation ........................................................................................................ 38 2.5 Islamic Sunni NGOs in the Middle East ..................................................................... 39 2.6 Islamic Shi’a NGOs in the Middle East ...................................................................... 44 2.6.1 Hezbollah linked NGOs ....................................................................................... 44 2.6.2 Bonyads: Social welfare organisations in Iran ................................................... 46 2.7 The thesis theoretical framework ............................................................................. 49 2.8 Religious NGOs and clientelism ................................................................................ 52 Conclusion ....................................................................................................................... 54 Chapter 3: Approaching Shi’a NGOs - Methodology ................................................... 56 3.1 Introduction .............................................................................................................. 56 3.2 Ontological approach ................................................................................................ 56 3.3 Epistemological approach ......................................................................................... 57 3.4 The research methodology ....................................................................................... 58 3.5 Access and the researcher’s position: insider and outsider ..................................... 60 3.6 Data collection .......................................................................................................... 67 3.7 Data analysis.............................................................................................................. 69 3.8 The trustworthiness of the research ......................................................................... 73 3.9 Ethical considerations for conducting the research ................................................. 75 Conclusion ....................................................................................................................... 76 Part 2 ............................................................................................................................. 77 Chapter 4: Iraq, a country profile ................................................................................... 77 4.1 Introduction .............................................................................................................. 77 4.2 The demographic structure of the country ............................................................... 77 4.3 The post war new political settlement ..................................................................... 79 2 4.4 The post war political economy ................................................................................ 86 4.5 Post war state social policies .................................................................................... 89 Conclusion ....................................................................................................................... 90 Chapter 5: The emergence of Shi’a NGOs in Iraq......................................................... 92 5.1 Introduction .............................................................................................................. 92 5.2 Who are the Shi’a? .................................................................................................... 93 5.2.1 The revival of the Shi’a ....................................................................................... 97 5.2.2 Quietism and Activism ....................................................................................... 98 5.3 The new political opportunity and the formation of NGOs .................................... 100 5.4 Shi’a NGOs’ sources of funding for their activities ................................................. 113 Conclusion ..................................................................................................................... 117 Chapter 6: Social services activities of the Shi’a NGOs .............................................. 118 6.1 Introduction ............................................................................................................ 118 6.2 Sponsoring widows and orphans - or Kafalat al-Yateem ........................................ 119 6.2.1 Kafalat al-Yateem (sponsorship of orphans): Religious justification .............. 119 6.2.2 The religious motivation for social provision .................................................. 120 6.3 The Kafala provision to protect the family and the wider society .......................... 121 6.3.1 The Shi’a NGOs Kafala provision and other support ...................................... 124 6.3.2 Khums, the main financial source of Kafala provision .................................... 128 6.3.3 The criteria for Kafala provision ...................................................................... 130 6.3.4 The procedures to identity entitled widowed families ....................................
Recommended publications
  • Blood and Ballots the Effect of Violence on Voting Behavior in Iraq

    Blood and Ballots the Effect of Violence on Voting Behavior in Iraq

    View metadata, citation and similar papers at core.ac.uk brought to you by CORE provided by Göteborgs universitets publikationer - e-publicering och e-arkiv DEPTARTMENT OF POLITICAL SCIENCE BLOOD AND BALLOTS THE EFFECT OF VIOLENCE ON VOTING BEHAVIOR IN IRAQ Amer Naji Master’s Thesis: 30 higher education credits Programme: Master’s Programme in Political Science Date: Spring 2016 Supervisor: Andreas Bågenholm Words: 14391 Abstract Iraq is a very diverse country, both ethnically and religiously, and its political system is characterized by severe polarization along ethno-sectarian loyalties. Since 2003, the country suffered from persistent indiscriminating terrorism and communal violence. Previous literature has rarely connected violence to election in Iraq. I argue that violence is responsible for the increases of within group cohesion and distrust towards people from other groups, resulting in politicization of the ethno-sectarian identities i.e. making ethno-sectarian parties more preferable than secular ones. This study is based on a unique dataset that includes civil terror casualties one year before election, the results of the four general elections of January 30th, and December 15th, 2005, March 7th, 2010 and April 30th, 2014 as well as demographic and socioeconomic indicators on the provincial level. Employing panel data analysis, the results show that Iraqi people are sensitive to violence and it has a very negative effect on vote share of secular parties. Also, terrorism has different degrees of effect on different groups. The Sunni Arabs are the most sensitive group. They change their electoral preference in response to the level of violence. 2 Acknowledgement I would first like to thank my advisor Dr.
  • The Right to Asylum Between Islamic Shari'ah And

    The Right to Asylum Between Islamic Shari'ah And

    The Right to Asylum between Islamic Shari’ah and International Refugee Law A Comparative Study Prof. Ahmed Abou-El-Wafa Produced and Printed by Printing Press of Naif Arab University for Security Sciences Riyadh - 2009 (1430 H.) The Right to Asylum between Islamic Shari’ah and International Refugee Law A Comparative Study Prof. Ahmed Abou-El-Wafa Riyadh - 2009 (1430 H.) “Those who believed and emigrated, and strove in the cause of GOD, as well as those who hosted them and gave them refuge, and supported them, these are the true believers. They have deserved forgiveness and a generous recompense.” (Quranic Surat al-Anfal, "The Spoils of War" [Chapter 8 verse 74]) “Everyone has the right to seek and to enjoy in other countries asylum from persecution.” (Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Article 14) "Every man shall have the right, within the framework of the Shari'ah... if persecuted, is entitled to seek asylum in another country. The country of refugee shall be obliged to provide protection to the asylum seeker until his safety has been attained, unless asylum is motivated by committing an act regarded by the Shari'ah as a crime". (Article 12 of the Declaration on Human Rights in Islam) United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) Regional Office in the Regional Office in the Arab Republic of Egypt GCC Countries E-mail: [email protected] E-mail: [email protected] Arabic Website: English Website: www.unhcr.org.eg www.unhcr.org First Edition 2009 This book is written, on behalf of UNHCR by Prof. Dr. Ahmed Abou-El-Wafa, Chief of the Department of Public International Law, Faculty of Law, Cairo University.
  • Sectarianism in the MENA Region

    Sectarianism in the MENA Region

    DIRECTORATE-GENERAL FOR EXTERNAL POLICIES POLICY DEPARTMENT WORKSHOP Sectarianism in the Middle East ABSTRACT Sectarian conflict and polarisation has become a key feature of Middle East politics in the aftermath of the Arab uprisings of 2011. This workshop looked at some of the key drivers of this, such as the troubled legacy of foreign intervention, state failure, regional rivalries between Saudi Arabia, Iran and others, ruling strategies of authoritarian regimes as well as the spread of identity and sect-based political movements. With in-depth analysis of the two key arenas of sectarian conflict in the contemporary Middle East, Syria and Iraq, and a paper on the consequences of state collapse, this paper also makes recommendations on how the EU could help reduce sectarian tensions. EP/EXPO/B/AFET/2016/01 EN July 2017 - PE 603.843 © European Union, 2017 Policy Department, Directorate-General for External Policies This paper was requested by the European Parliament's Committee on Foreign Affairs. English-language manuscript was completed on 14/07/2017. Printed in Belgium. Authors: Dr Toby MATTHIESEN, Senior Research Fellow in the International Relations of the Middle East, St. Antony’s College, University of Oxford, UK Dr Simon MABON, Lecturer in International Relations, Director of the Richardson Institute, University of Lancaster, UK. Dr Raphaël LEFÈVRE, Rank-Manning Research Fellow in Social Sciences, University of Oxford, UK. Dr Renad MANSOUR, Academy Fellow, Chatham House, London, UK. Official Responsible: Kirsten JONGBERG Editorial Assistant: Györgyi MÁCSAI Feedback of all kind is welcome. Please write to: [email protected]. To obtain copies, please send a request to: [email protected] This paper will be published on the European Parliament's online database, 'Think tank'.
  • China-Italy Destination Wedding New Opportunities for the Luxury Tourism Market

    China-Italy Destination Wedding New Opportunities for the Luxury Tourism Market

    Master’s Degree Programme in Language and Management to China (D.M. 270/2004) Final Thesis China-Italy Destination Wedding New opportunities for the luxury tourism market Supervisor Ch. Prof. Renzo Riccardo Cavalieri Assistant supervisor Ch. Prof. Veronica Tasciotti Graduand Tiziana La Ragione Matriculation Number 840907 Academic Year 2017 / 2018 Contents Abstract…………………………………………………………………………..i 前言…………………………………………………………………………………..ii Chapter 1: Introductive analysis on the Chinese wedding 1.1 Historical background……………………………………………………………10 1.2 Today’s wedding customs and traditions……………………………………..….13 1.3 Traditional wedding dress………………………………………………………..16 1.3.1 Wedding accessories and jewelry……………………………………....19 Chapter 2: Tourism and Wedding-Induced Tourism in China 2.1 Introductive analysis on Chinese outbound tourism …………………………….21 2.1.1 Chinese luxury tourism market………………………………………....25 2.2 Wedding market and wedding-induced tourism from China to other countries….27 2.3 Interview with Yumi Nishiwaki owner of I Wish Wedding and Toria Lee of Timeless Event Design: a comparison between the destination wedding market in Mainland China and Hong Kong……………………………………………………..31 Chapter 3: Tourism and Wedding-Induced Tourism in Italy 3.1 Introductive analysis on Chinese tourism in Italy………………………………...39 3.1.1 Luxury Chinese tourism in Italy………..………………………………42 3.2 Introductive analysis on destination wedding in Italy…………………………....46 3.2.1 Wedding-induced tourism from China………………………………...49 Chapter 4: Analysis of the final-offer 4.1 Sector’s professional
  • Political Marketing in Post-Conflict Elections: the Case of Iraq

    Political Marketing in Post-Conflict Elections: the Case of Iraq

    Journal of Political Marketing ISSN: 1537-7857 (Print) 1537-7865 (Online) Journal homepage: http://www.tandfonline.com/loi/wplm20 Political Marketing in Post-Conflict Elections: The Case of Iraq Adam Harmes To cite this article: Adam Harmes (2016): Political Marketing in Post-Conflict Elections: The Case of Iraq, Journal of Political Marketing, DOI: 10.1080/15377857.2016.1193834 To link to this article: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/15377857.2016.1193834 Accepted author version posted online: 03 Jun 2016. Published online: 03 Jun 2016. Submit your article to this journal Article views: 13 View related articles View Crossmark data Full Terms & Conditions of access and use can be found at http://www.tandfonline.com/action/journalInformation?journalCode=wplm20 Download by: [University of Western Ontario] Date: 24 June 2016, At: 07:21 Political Marketing in Post-conflict Elections: The Case of Iraq Adam Harmes Address correspondence to Adam Harmes, Associate Professor, Department of Political Science, University of Western Ontario, 4155 Social Sciences Building, London, ON N6A 5C2, Canada. 416-346-4770. E-mail: [email protected] Abstract This article examines political marketing in post-conflict elections through an illustrative case study of post-Saddam Iraq. It does so through articles and media reports as well as interviews and participant-observation research conducted in Iraq during the 2014 national and provincial elections. The article argues that, despite having a number of the comparative and ethnic conflict country characteristics that work against a market oriented approach, Iraqi political parties have become increasingly professionalized and, to a lesser extent, willing to change their product in response to market research.
  • A STUDY of FIQH LITERATURE in URDU Since 1857 AD

    A STUDY of FIQH LITERATURE in URDU Since 1857 AD

    A STUDY OF FIQH LITERATURE IN URDU Since 1857 A.D. DISSERTATION SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE AWARD OF THE DEGREE OF iWafiter of ^Ijiloiopl^p IN Mamit ^tuhiti #(^:fl jn i^yiixowicf BY l\A >\ ZIAUDDIN C C( I UNDER THE SUPERVISION OF Dr. ZAFARUL ISLAM {READER) DEPARTMENT OF ISLAMIC STUDIES ALIGARH MUSLIM UNIVERSITY ALIGARH (INDIA) 1996 DS2924 ^v^^.^^^ ''''y^'^^^. DEDICATED TO MY PARENTS CONTENTS PREFACE 1-IV INTRODUCTION 1-10 CHAPTER-I : DEVELOPMENT OF FIQH LITERATURE 11-2 5 IN THE SUB-CONTINENT CHAPTER-II : TRANSLATION OF ARABIC, PERSIAN AND 26-43 ENGLISH WORKS CHAPTER-III • ORIGINAL WORKS 44-125 CHAPTER-IV . BRIEF INTRODUCTION TO THE IMPORTANT 126-180 WORKS BIBLIOGRAPHY 181-184 GLOSSARY I-VIII (I) PREFACE Selection of topic for my dissertation was guided by many factors and considerations. Among them, the foremost was the idea that a comprehensive bibliographical dictionary of fiqh literature in India in the recent times should be prepared for it would not only be helpful in providing an indicator of the intellectual potential of the Muslim Intelligenstia of the Indo-Pak subcontinent, but also a guide to the young and experienced researchers alike for the location of the relevant material. The study of nature of survey, and as such does not warrant or pre-suppose a critical or analytical examination of the Urdu Fiqh literature in India. Nevertheless, it provides an insight into the juridical mind of muslim India, besides opening a window to the academic awakening of the Muslim Ulama and Fuqaha of the country. It is presented with the hope that some serious scholars would utilize the accumulated information for deeper studies on the subject, apart from enriching it from bibliographical point of view.
  • A Qualitative Analysis of Key Concepts in Islam from the Perspective of Imams

    A Qualitative Analysis of Key Concepts in Islam from the Perspective of Imams

    University of Central Florida STARS Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2004-2019 2018 A Qualitative Analysis of Key Concepts in Islam From the Perspective of Imams Chandler Dobiyanski Part of the Interpersonal and Small Group Communication Commons Find similar works at: https://stars.library.ucf.edu/etd University of Central Florida Libraries http://library.ucf.edu This Masters Thesis (Open Access) is brought to you for free and open access by STARS. It has been accepted for inclusion in Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2004-2019 by an authorized administrator of STARS. For more information, please contact [email protected]. STARS Citation Dobiyanski, Chandler, "A Qualitative Analysis of Key Concepts in Islam From the Perspective of Imams" (2018). Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2004-2019. 6186. https://stars.library.ucf.edu/etd/6186 A QUALITATIVE ANALYSIS OF KEY CONCEPTS IN ISLAM FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF IMAMS by CHANDLER DOBIYANSKI Bachelor of Arts, University of Arkansas, 2015 A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in the Nicholson School of Communication and Media in the College of Sciences at the University of Central Florida Orlando, Florida Fall Term 2018 Major Professor: Jonathan Matusitz ABSTRACT The continuous occurrence of terrorist attacks in the name of Islam has shown this ideology and its tenets are at least somewhat connected to jihadists committing attacks in its name. This ideology in terms of 13 themes was investigated by the researcher in 58 sermons outlined in the tables in the appendix. These themes include: brotherhood, death, freedom, human rights, justice and equality, love, oppression, peace and treaty, self-defense, sin, submission, terrorism and truth vs.
  • Sex and State Making in Revolutionary Cuba, 1959-1968

    Sex and State Making in Revolutionary Cuba, 1959-1968

    SEX AND STATE MAKING IN REVOLUTIONARY CUBA, 1959-1968 Rachel M. Hynson A dissertation submitted to the faculty of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in the Department of History. Chapel Hill 2014 Approved By: Kathryn J. Burns Emily Susan Burrill John Charles Chasteen Miguel La Serna Raúl Necochea López Lars Schoultz ©2014 Rachel M. Hynson ALL RIGHTS RESERVED ii ABSTRACT RACHEL M. HYNSON: Sex and State Making in Revolutionary Cuba, 1959-1968 (Under the direction of Kathryn J. Burns) This dissertation explores the construction of the revolutionary state in order to trace the entwinement of familial health and national security during the first decade of the Cuban revolution. It analyzes campaigns deployed by government officials to remake sexual norms and produce families deemed healthier than those under capitalism. More specifically, my dissertation examines state efforts that normalized patriarchy by criminalizing abortion, legitimized marriage through collective weddings, schematized the workforce by condemning female prostitution, and restructured economic gender roles via the rehabilitation of chulos (loosely translated as “kept men”). Through close analysis of print media, speeches, travel narratives, and oral histories, my work makes two major contributions to the study of Cuban sexuality. First, by joining prerevolutionary context to an analysis of revolutionary policies, I demonstrate that the sexual behaviors lauded by state officials as new measures of revolutionary well-being were in fact traditional criteria recycled from prior Cuban regimes. Second, I assert that revolutionary leadership of the 1960s attempted to remake the state by challenging popular definitions of terms such as marriage, family planning, sex worker, and chulo.
  • The Innovations of Hibahasan Instrument of Islamic Finance and Islamic Estate Management in Malaysia

    The Innovations of Hibahasan Instrument of Islamic Finance and Islamic Estate Management in Malaysia

    Webology, Volume 18, Special Issue on Management and Social Media January, 2021 The Innovations of Hibahasan Instrument of Islamic Finance and Islamic Estate Management in Malaysia Ahmad Khilmy Abdul Rahim Islamic Business School, College of Business, Universiti Utara Malaysia (UUM), Malaysia. E-mail: [email protected] Azizi Abu Bakar Islamic Business School, College of Business, Universiti Utara Malaysia (UUM), Malaysia. Mohd Murshidi Mohd Nor Islamic Business School, College of Business, Universiti Utara Malaysia (UUM), Malaysia. Received October 20, 2020; Accepted November 28, 2020 ISSN: 1735-188X DOI: 10.14704/WEB/V18SI03/WEB18023 Abstract The application of hibah as an instrument in estate management is gaining popularity among the Muslim community in Malaysia. “Hibah is a unilateral contract” that elevate welfare and charity. The Islamic financial institutions in Malaysia, including Islamic banks as well as Islamic wealth institutions apply varities of hibah instruments in the products accessible by them. Hibah is a cooperating shariah contract in the Malaysia‟s Islamic banking and financial framework. The aim is to incentivize clients for storing their cash into the institution as well as remunerate for clients to pay their financing by agreeing planned. The use of hibah is based on the stated fundamentals and objectives of the “Shariah Advisory Council (SAC) of Bank Negara Malaysia”. Nowadays, hibah instrument has been applied in various forms using Islamic financial institutions especially in Malaysia. This article discusses and analyzes in general the application of contemporary forms of hibah such as Trust Hibah (Hibah Amanah), Conditional Hibah (Hibah Mu'allaqah), Hibah with discussion (Hibah Bi al-Thawab), hibah in saving account (Wadiah) and rental (al-Ijarah) accounts and hibah in Takaful benefit.
  • Iraq, August 2006

    Iraq, August 2006

    Library of Congress – Federal Research Division Country Profile: Iraq, August 2006 COUNTRY PROFILE: IRAQ August 2006 COUNTRY Formal Name: Republic of Iraq (Al Jumhuriyah al Iraqiyah). Short Form: Iraq. Term for Citizen(s): Iraqi(s). Click to Enlarge Image Capital: Baghdad. Major Cities (in order of population size): Baghdad, Mosul (Al Mawsil), Basra (Al Basrah), Arbil (Irbil), Kirkuk, and Sulaymaniyah (As Sulaymaniyah). Independence: October 3, 1932, from the British administration established under a 1920 League of Nations mandate. Public Holidays: New Year’s Day (January 1) and the overthrow of Saddam Hussein (April 9) are celebrated on fixed dates, although the latter has lacked public support since its declaration by the interim government in 2003. The following Muslim religious holidays occur on variable dates according to the Islamic lunar calendar, which is 11 days shorter than the Gregorian calendar: Eid al Adha (Feast of the Sacrifice), Islamic New Year, Ashoura (the Shia observance of the martyrdom of Hussein), Mouloud (the birth of Muhammad), Leilat al Meiraj (the ascension of Muhammad), and Eid al Fitr (the end of Ramadan). Flag: The flag of Iraq consists of three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and black with three green, five-pointed stars centered in the white band. The phrase “Allahu Akbar” (“God Is Great”) also appears in Arabic script in the white band with the word Allahu to the left of the center star and the word Akbar to the right of that star. Click to Enlarge Image HISTORICAL BACKGROUND Early History: Contemporary Iraq occupies territory that historians regard as the site of the earliest civilizations of the Middle East.
  • Diplomatic List

    Diplomatic List

    Diplomatic List Spring 2016 DEPARTMENT OF STATE PUBLICATION 11221 Office of the Chief of Protocol Revised March 18, 2016 --------------------------------------------------------------- For sale by the Superintendent of Documents U.S. Government Printing Office Washington, D.C. 20402 Preface This publication contains the names of the members of the diplomatic staffs of all missions and their spouses. Members of the diplomatic staff are the members of the staff of the mission having diplomatic rank. These persons, with the exception of those identified by asterisks, enjoy full immunity under provisions of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations. Pertinent provisions of the Convention include the following: Article 29 The person of a diplomatic agent shall be inviolable. He shall not be liable to any form of arrest or detention. The receiving State shall treat him with due respect and shall take all appropriate steps to prevent any attack on his person, freedom or dignity. Article 31 A diplomatic agent shall enjoy immunity from the criminal jurisdiction of the receiving State. He shall also enjoy immunity from its civil and administrative jurisdiction, except in the case of: (a) a real action relating to private immovable property situated in the territory of the receiving State, unless he holds it on behalf of the sending State for the purposes of the mission; (b) an action relating to succession in which the diplomatic agent is involved as executor, administrator, heir or legatee as a private person and not on behalf of the sending State; (c) an action relating to any professional or commercial activity exercised by the diplomatic agent in the receiving State outside of his official functions.
  • Iraq in Crisis

    Iraq in Crisis

    Burke Chair in Strategy Iraq in Crisis By Anthony H. Cordesman and Sam Khazai January 6, 2014 Request for comments: This report is a draft that will be turned into an electronic book. Comments and suggested changes would be greatly appreciated. Please send any comments to Anthony H. Cordsman, Arleigh A. Burke Chair in Strategy, at [email protected]. ANTHONY H. CORDESMAN Arleigh A. Burke Chair in Strategy [email protected] Iraq in Crisis: Cordesman and Khazai AHC Final Review Draft 6.1.14 ii Acknowledgements This analysis was written with the assistance of Burke Chair researcher Daniel DeWit. Iraq in Crisis: Cordesman and Khazai AHC Final Review Draft 6.1.14 iii Executive Summary As events in late December 2013 and early 2014 have made brutally clear, Iraq is a nation in crisis bordering on civil war. It is burdened by a long history of war, internal power struggles, and failed governance. Is also a nation whose failed leadership is now creating a steady increase in the sectarian divisions between Shi’ite and Sunni, and the ethnic divisions between Arab and Kurd. Iraq suffers badly from the legacy of mistakes the US made during and after its invasion in 2003. It suffers from threat posed by the reemergence of violent Sunni extremist movements like Al Qaeda and equally violent Shi’ite militias. It suffers from pressure from Iran and near isolation by several key Arab states. It has increasingly become the victim of the forces unleashed by the Syrian civil war. Its main threats, however, are self-inflicted wounds caused by its political leaders.