Shi'a

Syria: The True Chaos Will Begin After the Fall of the Regime

Peter J. Munson — Mon, 06 May 2013 07:30:00 +0000

Syria: The True Chaos Will Begin After the Fall of the Regime Peter J. Munson Mon, 05/06/2013 - 3:30am

Syria is already in crisis but the death or departure of President Bashar al-Asad is likely to intensify violence and destruction in the country, not quell it.

The Ansar of Yemen: The Huthis and al-Qaeda

Peter J. Munson — Wed, 01 May 2013 07:30:00 +0000

The Ansar of Yemen: The Huthis and al-Qaeda Peter J. Munson Wed, 05/01/2013 - 3:30am

The pressures on Yemen are centrifugal rather than centripetal, by which the power of the center is weakened to the benefit of poles of regional power. These centrifugal forces could make it difficult to recreate a central state that can reach across the country

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Book Review: Saddam Hussein’s Ba’th Party: Inside an Authoritarian Regime

Peter J. Munson — Fri, 22 Feb 2013 08:25:00 +0000

Book Review: Saddam Hussein’s Ba’th Party: Inside an Authoritarian Regime Peter J. Munson Fri, 02/22/2013 - 3:25am

As someone who was born and lived in Iraq, I witnessed much of what Dr. Sassoon describes and believe that his analysis is profound and accurate.

Why Did Violence Decline During the US “Surge” in Iraq?

Peter J. Munson — Mon, 04 Feb 2013 08:30:00 +0000

Why Did Violence Decline During the US “Surge” in Iraq? Peter J. Munson Mon, 02/04/2013 - 3:30am

The Surge was only one piece of a broader confluence of events, critically the Shiite victory in the civil war, the formation of “Sons of Iraq” groups, the cease-fire of the Mahdi Army, and the role of regional actors.

To Thine Own Military Be True: A Five-Year Model for the New Iraqi Army

Peter J. Munson — Mon, 04 Feb 2013 08:25:00 +0000

To Thine Own Military Be True: A Five-Year Model for the New Iraqi Army Peter J. Munson Mon, 02/04/2013 - 3:25am

A model for the Iraqi military that seeks to minimize the threats of sectarianism, insurgency, and rampant unemployment over the next five years through mandatory conscription—a strategy designed to forge a national consensus.

Beirut, Oh Mistress of the World

Peter J. Munson — Mon, 22 Oct 2012 10:30:00 +0000

Beirut, Oh Mistress of the World Peter J. Munson Mon, 10/22/2012 - 6:30am

Regional proxy wars between Iran and the Arab Gulf are using Lebanon as their figurative prostitute.

Iraq, Syria, and the Twelfth Imam

Peter J. Munson — Tue, 25 Sep 2012 09:30:00 +0000

Iraq, Syria, and the Twelfth Imam Peter J. Munson Tue, 09/25/2012 - 5:30am

Without international intervention, Syria will continue to slip into deeper sectarianism, which is the worst case scenario for Iraq.

Deconstructing Civil War: An Interview with Iraq Writer Fanar Haddad

Peter J. Munson — Thu, 26 Jul 2012 01:46:50 +0000

Deconstructing Civil War: An Interview with Iraq Writer Fanar Haddad

Frequent contributor Bob Tollast has posted a valuable interview at Global Politics.

What factors push humans to the path of war? Is it our thirst for resources, or do political, religious or ethnic differences play a bigger role?

Often overlooked in such analysis is human nature and identity formation, which Fanar Haddad examines in detail, gaining deep insights into the Iraq conflict in his excellent study Sectarianism In Iraq.

Haddad is a London based academic and analyst of Middle Eastern affairs. His research interests are Middle Eastern social history, identity, minority politics, nationalism and popular memory. He previously lectured at the University of Exeter and worked in the Middle East and North Africa Research Group at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. He has published widely on Iraq and the broader Middle East and is author of Sectarianism in Iraq: Antagonistic Visions of Unity. Currently he lectures at the School of Politics and International Relations at Queen Mary, University of London.

Looking at the Iraq war through the prism of identity politics, Haddad’s book also stands out for its analysis of social media such as YouTube to understand the propaganda of civil conflict. As much as being a book about Iraq, Haddad’s work is full of insights for anyone interested in conflict studies, and provides some answers to the question Rodney King once posed: “can’t we just get along?”

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Iraq in the Middle Part IV: Maria Fantappie on Iraq’s relations with Syria

Peter J. Munson — Fri, 20 Jul 2012 09:47:30 +0000

Iraq in the Middle Part IV: Maria Fantappie on Iraq’s relations with Syria Peter J. Munson Fri, 07/20/2012 - 5:47am

What role does Iraq play in the development of the Syrian crisis?

Iraq in the Middle Part II: Reidar Visser on Iraq’s Relations with Iran

Peter J. Munson — Mon, 11 Jun 2012 10:02:14 +0000

Iraq in the Middle Part II: Reidar Visser on Iraq’s Relations with Iran Peter J. Munson Mon, 06/11/2012 - 6:02am

As sanctions bite and pressure mounts on Assad, Iran steps up its involvement in Iraqi affairs. But how extensive is their influence?