DOCSLIB.ORG

Country of Origin Information Report Iraq January 2009

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Country of Origin Information Report Iraq January 2009 COUNTRY OF ORIGIN INFORMATION REPORT IRAQ 12 JANUARY 2009 UK Border Agency COUNTRY OF ORIGIN INFORMATION SERVICE 12 JANUARY 2009 IRAQ Contents Preface Latest News EVENTS IN IRAQ FROM 29 NOVEMBER 2008 TO 5 JANUARY 2009 REPORTS ON IRAQ PUBLISHED OR ACCESSED SINCE 29 NOVEMBER AND 5 JANUARY 2009 Paragraphs Background Information 1. GEOGRAPHY ..........................................................................................1.01 Maps.............................................................................................. 1.07 Iraq and neighbouring countries.................................... ............1.07 Kurdish Regional Government area..................... .....................1.08 Ethnic distribution............................................................. .........1.10 2. ECONOMY .............................................................................................2.01 3. HISTORY ...............................................................................................3.01 Post-Saddam Iraq.................................................. ......................3.02 Elections, January 2005............................................... .............3.06 Referendum on the Constitution, October 2005........................3.10 Election, December 2005............................................ ..............3.12 Government of National Unity............................ .......................3.18 Baghdad Security Plan & National Reconciliation Plan.............3.26 Death of Abu Musab al-Zarqawi.............................. ..................3.27 The execution of Saddam Hussein.......................................... ..3.31 Recent History.......................................................................... .3.33 4. RECENT DEVELOPMENTS ...........................................................................4.01 5. CONSTITUTION ........................................................................................5.01 6. POLITICAL SYSTEM ..................................................................................6.01 Political system in the KRG area.................................. ..............6.13 7. NATIONAL HOLIDAYS ................................................................................7.01 Human Rights 8. INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................8.01 9. SECURITY SITUATION ................................................................................9.01 Order for safeguarding national security.................................. .9.10 Civilian deaths and casualties........................................ ............9.11 Security on central and western Iraq.................. .......................9.18 Baghdad................................................................................. ...9.22 Baghdad – Green Zone (International Zone)..................... ........9.27 Al-Anbar..................................................................... ...............9.30 Diyala.......................................................................... ..............9.32 Salah-Al-Din.................................................................. ............9.37 Security in southern Iraq........................................................... ..9.40 Basrah..................................................................................... ..9.43 Babil (Babylon)................................................................... .......9.51 Wasit........................................................................ .................9.54 Qadissiya............................................................ ......................9.57 Kerbala and Najaf...................................................................... 9.59 This country of origin information report contains the most up-to-date publicly available information as at 5 January 2009. Older 1 source material has been included where it contains relevant information not available in more recent documents. IRAQ 12 JANUARY 2009 Security in Kirkuk and Mosul................................................. .....9.62 Kirkurk............................................................................... ........9.62 Mosul......................................................................................... 9.68 Security in the KRG area..................................................... ........9.76 Perceived collaborators and ‘soft targets’............................... ..9.85 10. CRIME ..................................................................................................10.01 Criminal gangs..................................................................... ........10.02 Kidnapping/hostage taking.............................................. ...........10.05 11. SECURITY FORCES ...................................................................................11.01 Iraqi Security Forces........................................... ........................11.05 Infiltration................................................................................... 11.12 Iraqi police............................................................................. ....11.19 National Police (NP)..................................... ........................11.27 Border enforcement................................................................... 11.23 Facilities Protection Service (FPS)............................. ...............11.36 Iraqi armed forces............................................... ......................11.38 Iraqi National Guard.............................................................. 11.44 Iraqi National Counter-Terrorism Forces (INCTF).................11.45 Awakening councils (Sons of Iraq)...................... ......................11.46 Security agencies............................................................. .........11.53 ISF as targets for insurgents............................... ......................11.55 Torture by the security forces............................. .......................11.58 Extra-judicial killings by the security forces................................ 11.67 Security forces in the KRG area............................. ....................11.69 Torture by security forces in the KRG area......................... .......11.73 Multi-National Forces (MNF)............................... ........................11.75 Torture by the MNF.................................................................... 11.79 Extra-judicial killings by the MNF.............................................. .11.82 Private security companies......................................................... 11.85 12. MILITARY SERVICE ...................................................................................12.01 13. ABUSES BY NON-GOVERNMENT ARMED FORCES .............................................. 13.01 Sunni Arab insurgents................................................................. 13.10 Torture by Sunni Arab insurgents............................................... 13.20 Shi’a militia.............................................................................. .....13.24 Torture by Shi’a militia............................................. ..................13.32 Kurdish militia....................................................................... .......13.40 Torture by Kurdish militia............................................. ..............13.43 14. JUDICIARY .............................................................................................14.01 Organisation................................................................................. 14.07 Judiciary in the KRG area.......................................................... 14.10 Religious and tribal law....................................................... ........14.15 Judges and lawyers................................................................ .....14.22 Iraq High Tribunal (IHT)........................................... ....................14.28 Central Criminal Court of Iraq............................................... ......14.34 15. ARREST AND DETENTION – LEGAL RIGHTS .....................................................15.01 Arrest and detention in the KRG area...................... ..................15.10 Arrest and detention by the MNF.............................................. ..15.16 15. PRISON CONDITIONS .................................................................................16.01 Iraqi-run prisons and detention facilities........................... ........16.09 Prisons and detention facilities in the KRG area........................ 16.17 MNF-run prisons and detention facilities................................. ..16.25 17. DEATH PENALTY ......................................................................................17.01 Death penalty in the KRG area.................................................... 17.07 18. POLITICAL AFFILIATION ..............................................................................18.01 Freedom of political expression................................... ..............18.01 2 This Country of Origin Information Report contains the most up-to-date publicly available information as at 5 January 2009. Older source material has been included where it contains relevant information not available in more recent documents. 12 JANUARY 2009 IRAQ Freedom of political expression in the KRG area......................18.04 Freedom of association and assembly.................... ..................18.06
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Iraq- Baghdad Governorate, Adhamia District
    ( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( Iraq- Baghdad Governorate, Adham( ia District ( ( Turkey Mosul! ! Albu Blai'a Erbil village Syria Ahmad al Al-Hajiyah IQ-P12429 Mahmud al Iran ( Mahmud River Al Bu Algah Khamis Baghdad Jadida Qaryat Albu IQ-P09040 IQ-P12203 IQ-P12398 IQ-P12326 Ramadi! ( IQ-P12308 ( ( Tannom ( !\ IQ-P12525 Jordan Najaf! Basrah! Hay Masqat Jurf Al IQ-P12295 Milah Bohroz Mahbubiyah ( SIaQ-uPd12i 2A(32rabia KIQu-wP1a2i3t22 ( IQ-P08417 ( ( ( Mohamed sakran Tarmia District IQ-P12335 Rashdiyah Muhammad (Noor village) Um Al al Jeb اﻟطﺎرﻣﯾﺔ IQ-P08355 Rumman IQ-P08339 ( ( IQ-P12386 IQ-D045 ( Al Halfayah village - 3 Mehdi al Ahmad Jamil Abdul Karim IQ-P12171 Hasan ( ( IQ-P09041 IQ-P08224 ( ( Al A`baseen IQ-P12332 ( village IQ-P12157 ( Sayyid Ahwiz Muhammad Musa Agha IQ-P08231 IQ-P08360 ( ( IQ-P12339 ( ( (( ( ( Fatah Chraiky IQ-P08312 IQ-P08307 ( ( ( Baghdad Governorate ( ( ﺑﻐداد IQ-G07 Qaryat Al Mohamad Khedidan 1 ( Khalaf Tameem Sakran IQ-P12318 ( ( ( Al-Mahmoud IQ-P12349 ( ( Al A'tb(a IQ-P12334 (( IQ-P12313 ( ( Qaryat ( village ( ( Darwesha IQ-P12161 ( Khalaf al IQ-P12359 ( ( Ulwan Muhammad Ja`atah Ali al Hajj ( Hussayniya - al `Abd al `Abbas IQ-P08333 Al Hussayniya IQ-P08297 Mahala 224 IQ-P12385 ( ( ( ( Al Hussainiya (Mahala 222) IQ-P12337 Al Husayniya ( IQ-P08330 ( ( ( - Mahalla 221 - Mahalla 213 IQ-P08264 ( IQ-P08243 IQ-P08251 Al Hussainiya Hussayniya - Al Hussayniya ( ( - Mahalla 216 Mahala 218 - Mahalla 220 IQ-P08253 ( IQ-P08329 IQ-P08261 ( Mahmud al Abdul Aziz Hay Al Waqf Al Hussainiya - ( ( Qal`at Jasim `Ulaywi Hamadi
    [Show full text]
  • Al Jazeera As Covered in the U.S. Embassy Cables Published by Wikileaks
    Al Jazeera As Covered in the U.S. Embassy Cables Published by Wikileaks Compiled by Maximilian C. Forte To accompany the article titled, “Al Jazeera and U.S. Foreign Policy: What WikiLeaks’ U.S. Embassy Cables Reveal about U.S. Pressure and Propaganda” 2011-09-21 ZERO ANTHROPOLOGY http://openanthropology.org Cable Viewer Viewing cable 04MANAMA1387, MINISTER OF INFORMATION DISCUSSES AL JAZEERA AND If you are new to these pages, please read an introduction on the structure of a cable as well as how to discuss them with others. See also the FAQs Reference ID Created Released Classification Origin 04MANAMA1387 2004-09-08 14:27 2011-08-30 01:44 CONFIDENTIAL Embassy Manama This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available. C O N F I D E N T I A L MANAMA 001387 SIPDIS STATE FOR NEA/ARP, NEA/PPD E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/07/2014 TAGS: PREL KPAO OIIP KMPI BA SUBJECT: MINISTER OF INFORMATION DISCUSSES AL JAZEERA AND IRAQ Classified By: Ambassador William T. Monroe for Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) ¶1. (C) Al Jazeera Satellite Channel and Iraq dominated the conversation during the Ambassador's Sept. 6 introductory call on Minister of Information Nabeel bin Yaqoob Al Hamer. Currently released so far... The Minister said that he had directed Bahrain Satellite 251287 / 251,287 Television to stop airing the videotapes on abductions and kidnappings in Iraq during news broadcasts because airing Articles them serves no good purpose. He mentioned that the GOB had also spoken to Al Jazeera Satellite Channel and Al Arabiyya Brazil about not airing the hostage videotapes.
    [Show full text]
  • The Resurgence of Asa'ib Ahl Al-Haq
    December 2012 Sam Wyer MIDDLE EAST SECURITY REPORT 7 THE RESURGENCE OF ASA’IB AHL AL-HAQ Photo Credit: Asa’ib Ahl al-Haq protest in Kadhimiya, Baghdad, September 2012. Photo posted on Twitter by Asa’ib Ahl al-Haq. All rights reserved. Printed in the United States of America. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording, or any information storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher. ©2012 by the Institute for the Study of War. Published in 2012 in the United States of America by the Institute for the Study of War. 1400 16th Street NW, Suite 515 Washington, DC 20036. http://www.understandingwar.org Sam Wyer MIDDLE EAST SECURITY REPORT 7 THE RESURGENCE OF ASA’IB AHL AL-HAQ ABOUT THE AUTHOR Sam Wyer is a Research Analyst at the Institute for the Study of War, where he focuses on Iraqi security and political matters. Prior to joining ISW, he worked as a Research Intern at AEI’s Critical Threats Project where he researched Iraqi Shi’a militia groups and Iranian proxy strategy. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science from Middlebury College in Vermont and studied Arabic at Middlebury’s school in Alexandria, Egypt. ABOUT THE INSTITUTE The Institute for the Study of War (ISW) is a non-partisan, non-profit, public policy research organization. ISW advances an informed understanding of military affairs through reliable research, trusted analysis, and innovative education. ISW is committed to improving the nation’s ability to execute military operations and respond to emerging threats in order to achieve U.S.
    [Show full text]
  • Geopolitics, Oil Law Reform, and Commodity Market Expectations
    OKLAHOMA LAW REVIEW VOLUME 63 WINTER 2011 NUMBER 2 GEOPOLITICS, OIL LAW REFORM, AND COMMODITY MARKET EXPECTATIONS ROBERT BEJESKY * Table of Contents I. Introduction .................................... ........... 193 II. Geopolitics and Market Equilibrium . .............. 197 III. Historical U.S. Foreign Policy in the Middle East ................ 202 IV. Enter OPEC ..................................... ......... 210 V. Oil Industry Reform Planning for Iraq . ............... 215 VI. Occupation Announcements and Economics . ........... 228 VII. Iraq’s 2007 Oil and Gas Bill . .............. 237 VIII. Oil Price Surges . ............ 249 IX. Strategic Interests in Afghanistan . ................ 265 X. Conclusion ...................................... ......... 273 I. Introduction The 1973 oil supply shock elevated OPEC to world attention and ensconced it in the general consciousness as a confederacy that is potentially * M.A. Political Science (Michigan), M.A. Applied Economics (Michigan), LL.M. International Law (Georgetown). The author has taught international law courses for Cooley Law School and the Department of Political Science at the University of Michigan, American Government and Constitutional Law courses for Alma College, and business law courses at Central Michigan University and the University of Miami. 193 194 OKLAHOMA LAW REVIEW [Vol. 63:193 antithetical to global energy needs. From 1986 until mid-1999, prices generally fluctuated within a $10 to $20 per barrel band, but alarms sounded when market prices started hovering above $30. 1 In July 2001, Senator Arlen Specter addressed the Senate regarding the need to confront OPEC and urged President Bush to file an International Court of Justice case against the organization, on the basis that perceived antitrust violations were a breach of “general principles of law.” 2 Prices dipped initially, but began a precipitous rise in mid-March 2002.
    [Show full text]
  • "Where There Is a Promise, There Is a Tragedy"
    "Where there is a promise, there is a tragedy" Cross-border bombings and shellings of villages in the Kurdish region of Iraq by the nations of Turkey and Iran TABLE OF CONTENTS Page Christian Peacemaker Teams (CPT) – Iraq . 4 Introduction . 5 Part I Recent Turkish and Iranian Military Attacks into Iraq: December, 2007 – December 2009. ………………….. 7 Part II Violation of International Laws. 24 Part III A Brief History of Iraqi Kurdish/Turkish Relations. .. 31 Photographs of villagers of Zharawa . 41 APPENDICES Appendix 1 Glossary of abbreviations. 44 Appendix 2 Military Action Calendar (August, 2008 – June, 2009). 46 Appendix 3 Turkish bases in Iraq . 52 Appendix 4 Maps . 54 __________________ Cover Art from the Kurdish Textile Museum: a sample of Iraqi Kurdish textile weaving of the Keji design. The weaving, made of wool, contains a pre-historic symbol for peace and happiness. This piece is from a belt. The belt, traditionally made by young girls or their mothers, is used to tie the girl's dowry together. The title quotation for the report is from the grandfather of a Kurdish friend of CPT; it means that every time governments have promised something to the Kurds, a tragedy inevitably followed. - 2 - Dedication The authors wish to dedicate this report to the over 1 million displaced villagers that have entrusted us with their tears and sorrow, hopes and dreams and their desire to return to a life of dignity. During the 2 year period in which CPT collected the research for this report, we have come to love and respect these villagers. We recognize their tremendous determination and tenacity to preserve village life and their desire to be contributing members of Kurdish society within the KRG.
    [Show full text]
  • 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.
    [Show full text]
  • Dora – Baghdad – Government Employees – Forced Relocation – Kurdish Areas – Housing
    Refugee Review Tribunal AUSTRALIA RRT RESEARCH RESPONSE Research Response Number: IRQ31805 Country: Iraq Date: 22 May 2007 Keywords: Iraq – Kurds – Shia – Dora – Baghdad – Government employees – Forced relocation – Kurdish areas – Housing This response was prepared by the Country Research Section of the Refugee Review Tribunal (RRT) after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the RRT within time constraints. This response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum. Questions 1. Are insurgent/terrorist groups in Iraq targeting anyone who works alongside the pro- coalition forces in the rebuilding of Iraq? 2. Are they targeting Iraqi government workers who perform a co-ordinating role in this regard? 3. Do the insurgents target Shia Iraqis? 4. What is the level of instability within Dora for Kurdish Shiites? 5. Are Kurdish Shiites from Dora being forced to relocate from Dora? 6. Can Kurdish Shiites from Dora safely relocate elsewhere in Baghdad? 7. Can Kurdish Shiites safely relocate to the Kurdish areas of Iraq? 8. Are the local authorities in the Kurdish region imposing regulations to limit the influx of refugees from other parts of Iraq? 9. What has the impact of these internal refugees had on housing and rent in the Kurdish region? RESPONSE 1. Are insurgent/terrorist groups in Iraq targeting anyone who works alongside the pro-coalition forces in the rebuilding of Iraq? 2. Are they targeting Iraqi government workers who perform a co-ordinating
    [Show full text]
  • Official General Report on Northern Iraq (April 2000) Contents Page
    Official general report on Northern Iraq (April 2000) Contents Page 1. Introduction 4 2. Information on the country 6 2.1. Basic facts 6 2.1.1. Country and people 6 2.1.2. History 8 2.2. System of government 17 2.3. Political developments 20 2.3.1. Internal relations 20 2.3.2. External forces 31 2.4. Security situation 36 2.5. Social and economic situation 48 2.6. Conclusions 53 3. Human rights 55 3.1. Safeguards 55 3.1.1. Constitution 55 3.1.2. Other national legislation 55 3.1.3. Conventions 56 3.2. Monitoring 56 3.3. Respect and violations 58 3.3.1. Freedom of opinion 58 3.3.2. Freedom of association and of assembly 59 3.3.3. Freedom of religion 60 3.3.4. Freedom of movement 73 3.3.5. Judicial process 83 3.3.6. Arrest and detention 84 3.3.7. Maltreatment and torture 87 3.3.8. Extra-judicial executions and murders 87 10804/00 dre/LG/mc 2 DG H I EN 3.3.9. Death penalty 87 3.4. Position of specific groups 88 3.4.1. Turkmens 88 3.4.2. Staff of international organisations 91 3.4.3. Conscripts, deserters and servicemen 96 3.4.4. Independent intellectuals and journalists 98 3.4.5. Prominent political activists 99 3.4.6. Fayli Kurds 99 3.4.7. Women 101 3.4.8. Orphaned minors 104 3.5. Summary 104 4. Refugees and displaced persons 106 4.1. Motives 106 4.2.
    [Show full text]
  • Iraq's Civil War, the Sadrists and the Surge
    IRAQ’S CIVIL WAR, THE SADRISTS AND THE SURGE Middle East Report N°72 – 7 February 2008 TABLE OF CONTENTS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY AND RECOMMENDATIONS................................................. i I. INTRODUCTION .......................................................................................................... 1 II. BAGHDAD’S CIVIL WAR AND THE SADRISTS’ ASCENT................................. 2 A. HOW THE SADRISTS EXPANDED THEIR TERRITORY ...............................................................2 B. NEUTRALISING THE POLICE...................................................................................................4 C. DEALING IN VIOLENCE..........................................................................................................6 III. THE SADRISTS’ REVERSAL OF FORTUNE .......................................................... 8 A. AN INCREASINGLY UNDISCIPLINED MOVEMENT ...................................................................8 B. THE SADRISTS’ TERRITORIAL REDEPLOYMENT...................................................................10 C. ARE THE SADRISTS SHIFTING ALLIANCES?.............................................................................13 D. A CHANGE IN MODUS OPERANDI........................................................................................16 IV. A SUSTAINABLE CEASEFIRE? .............................................................................. 18 V. CONCLUSION ............................................................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • Vichy on the Tigris
    susan watkins Editorial VICHY ON THE TIGRIS His Majesty’s Government and I are in the same boat and must sink or swim together . if you wish me and your policy to succeed, it is folly to damn me permanently in the public eye by making me an obvious puppet. King Faisal I to the British High Commissioner, Mesopotamia, 17 August 1921.1 arely has a passage of powers been so furtive. The ceremony—held two days ahead of schedule, deep within Baghdad’s fortified Green Zone—lasted just ten min- utes, with thirty us and Iraqi officials present. Outside the Rcement stockade, the military realities remain the same: an Occupation force of 160,000 us-led troops, an additional army of commercial secu- rity guards, and jumpy local police units. Before departing, the Coalition Provisional Authority set in place a parallel government structure of Commissioners and Inspectors-General (still referring to themselves as ‘coalition officials’ a week after the supposed dissolution of that body) who, elections notwithstanding, will control Iraq’s chief ministries for the next five years.2 The largest us embassy in the world will dominate Baghdad, with regional ‘hubs’ planned in Mosul, Kirkuk, Hilla and Basra. Most of the $3.2 billion that has been contracted so far is going on the construction of foreign military bases.3 The un has resolved that the country’s oil revenues will continue to be deposited in the us-dominated Development Fund for Iraq, again for the next five years. The newly installed Allawi government will have no authority to reallocate contracts signed by the cpa, largely with foreign companies who will remain above the law of the land.
    [Show full text]
  • {PDF EPUB} Secret Invasion the Infiltration by David W
    Read Ebook {PDF EPUB} Secret Invasion The Infiltration by David W. Mack David Mack (disambiguation) #2 David Alan Mack, primarily known for his tie-in novels. (These two both normally go by just "David Mack", but have a gentleman's agreement to use the differentiating middle name when approaching each other's "territory"-- for example, David Alan Mack used his middle name in the byline for his Wolverine novel, Road of Bones .) #4 David B. Mack, Timber Milling in Australia: The Shepherdsons, 1849-1984 . #5 David Mack, Buzzfeed reporter. Improve this author. Combine/separate works. Author division. "David Mack" is composed of at least 4 distinct authors, divided by their works. You can edit the division. Includes. David Mack is composed of 2 names. You can examine and separate out names. Brian Michael Bendis. Brian Michael Bendis (born August 18, 1967) [1] is an American comic book writer and former artist. He has won critical acclaim, including five Eisner Awards for both his creator-owned work and his work on various Marvel Comics books. [2] Starting out with crime and noir comics, Bendis eventually moved to mainstream superhero work. With Bill Jemas and Mark Millar, Bendis was the primary architect of the Ultimate Marvel Universe, launching Ultimate Spider-Man in 2000, on which he continues as writer to the present day. He relaunched the Avengers franchise with New Avengers in 2004, and has also written the Marvel "event" storylines "Secret War" (2004), "House of M" (2005), "Secret Invasion" (2008), "Siege" (2010) and "Age of Ultron" (2013). Though Bendis has cited comic book writers such as Frank Miller and Alan Moore, his own writing influences are less rooted in comics, drawing on the work of David Mamet, Richard Price, and Aaron Sorkin, whose dialogue Bendis feels are "the best in any medium." [3] In addition to writing comics, he has worked in television, video games and film, and began teaching writing at University of Oregon in Fall 2013.
    [Show full text]
  • The Real Outcome of the Iraq War: US and Iranian Strategic Competition in Iraq
    The Real Outcome of the Iraq War: US and Iranian Strategic Competition in Iraq By Anthony H. Cordesman, Peter Alsis, Adam Mausner, and Charles Loi Anthony H. Cordesman Arleigh A. Burke Chair in Strategy Revised: December 20, 2011 Note: This draft is being circulated for comments and suggestions. Please provide them to [email protected] Chapter 6: US Strategic Competition with Iran: Competition in Iraq 2 Executive Summary "Americans planted a tree in Iraq. They watered that tree, pruned it, and cared for it. Ask your American friends why they're leaving now before the tree bears fruit." --Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.1 Iraq has become a key focus of the strategic competition between the United States and Iran. The history of this competition has been shaped by the Iran-Iraq War (1980-1988), the 1991 Gulf War, and the US invasion of Iraq in 2003. Since the 2003 war, both the US and Iran have competed to shape the structure of Post-Saddam Iraq’s politics, governance, economics, and security. The US has gone to great lengths to counter Iranian influence in Iraq, including using its status as an occupying power and Iraq’s main source of aid, as well as through information operations and more traditional press statements highlighting Iranian meddling. However, containing Iranian influence, while important, is not America’s main goal in Iraq. It is rather to create a stable democratic Iraq that can defeat the remaining extremist and insurgent elements, defend against foreign threats, sustain an able civil society, and emerge as a stable power friendly to the US and its Gulf allies.
    [Show full text]