Joel Wing - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Papers by Joel Wing

Musings On Iraq

The results of the 2018 parliamentary elections in Iraq were a shock to many. Seemingly out of no... more The results of the 2018 parliamentary elections in Iraq were a shock to many. Seemingly out of nowhere the Sairoon list made of the Sadrists and the Iraqi Communist Party won the most seats. To have an Islamist religious figure align with a secular leftist was another twist. The two actually aligned several years beforehand during the annual protests that hit the country. To help explain Sairoon and its victory is University of Edinburgh PhD student Benedict Robin.

Musings On Iraq

Vincent Foulk served in Iraq from 2003-12 in all types of capacities. He started as an Army Civil... more Vincent Foulk served in Iraq from 2003-12 in all types of capacities. He started as an Army Civil Affairs officer in 2003, then worked with the Coalition Provisional Authority, and assisting Iraq’s courts. He then returned as a legal adviser to the Iraqi police, moved onto helping Iraq with anti-corruption activities, and finished with the Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction. He is also the author of The Battle for Fallujah, Operation, Resistance and Stalemate in the War in Iraq. This interview focuses upon Foulk’s time trying to combat fraud and graft in Iraq.

In January 2003 President Bush gave the Pentagon control of postwar Iraq. Douglas Feith the Under... more In January 2003 President Bush gave the Pentagon control of postwar Iraq. Douglas Feith the Under Secretary of Defense for Policy was put in charge of planning. Before the invasion, Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld called in a group of outside experts to review what had been drawn up. One of those was James Dobbins from the RAND Corporation. This is an interview with Dobbins about what he thought about the Pentagon’s plans for Iraq.

The battle of Mosul has reached its ninth month, but it is finally coming to an end. It has been ... more The battle of Mosul has reached its ninth month, but it is finally coming to an end. It has been one of the toughest urban battles since probably the fighting for cities in the former Yugoslavia in the 1990s. With the conflict winding down there is time to reflect and analyze how the campaign went down. To help do that is David M. Witty. He is a retired U.S. Special Forces Colonel. He served in the first Gulf War as an adviser to the Kuwaiti forces. He then took part in Operation Iraqi Freedom being an adviser to the Iraqi Counter-Terrorism Service (CTS), today known by the popular name the Golden Division, from 2007-2008 and 2013-2014.

Ayatollah Mohammed Sadiq al-Sadr is a revered figure in Iraq today in part because of his assassi... more Ayatollah Mohammed Sadiq al-Sadr is a revered figure in Iraq today in part because of his assassination in 1999, which was blamed on Saddam’s government. When he was alive it was a different story. He was a polarizing figure because of his relationship with the government and the other ayatollahs in Najaf and Qom, Iran. To help explain Sadr’s ideas and legacy is University of Haifa’s Professor Amatzia Baram.

Whenever Iraq runs into trouble people start talking about it being an artificial state. The argu... more Whenever Iraq runs into trouble people start talking about it being an artificial state. The argument goes that the European powers after World War I divided up the Middle East into spheres of influence with the Sykes-Picot treaty, which ignored local interests causing the present day problems in Iraq and the region. This is an ahistorical argument as Sykes-Picot did not create the modern borders. Princeton’s Sara Pursley dissected this history in a two part series for Jadaliyya entitled “Lines Drawn on an Empty Map: Iraq’s Borders and the Legend of the Artificial State.” This is an interview with Pursley to discuss how exactly Iraq’s borders were determined, and how that has been interpreted.

It took the United States four years to get its military strategy in Iraq right. Before that the ... more It took the United States four years to get its military strategy in Iraq right. Before that the U.S. was in a state of disarray dealing with the insurgency. First it didn’t want to acknowledge that one existed in Iraq. Many military leaders believed that the American presence was the cause of the rebellion. That led them to advocate for a U.S. withdrawal, which was supported by Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld. On the ground each U.S. unit basically developed its own tactics in its area of operation with little coordination with others, and then they would be replaced and the process would start all over again. To help explain this period of the U.S. occupation is former Washington Post and Wall Street Journal reporter, author of Fiasco: The American Military Adventure In Iraq and The Gamble, General Petraeus and the American Military Adventure In Iraq, and current member of the Center for A New American Security. Ricks also runs the Best Defense blog on national security at Foreign Policy.

Much has been made of the rebirth of the Islamic State (IS). Some common ideas have emerged about... more Much has been made of the rebirth of the Islamic State (IS). Some common ideas have emerged about how it was able to revive itself. Most of that focuses upon the Syrian conflict allowing an opportunity for the group to rebuild and Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki alienating the Sunni population in Iraq. Another growing narrative is the role former Baathists play in the group. Much more happened for IS to make its comeback. To help explain some of these issues is Associate Professor Craig Whiteside from the Naval War College in Monterey. Whiteside is a retired Army Lieutenant Colonel and a veteran of Operation Iraqi Freedom. His doctoral dissertation at Washington State University focused on the Islamic State movement.

Iraq’s Prime Minister Haider Abadi took office in September 2014 under the worst of circumstances... more Iraq’s Prime Minister Haider Abadi took office in September 2014 under the worst of circumstances. His predecessor Nouri al-Maliki felt like he should receive a third term, but after the insurgency’s summer offensive and U.S. pressure he was forced to stand aside for Abadi. The Islamic State (IS) held two of Iraq’s largest cities Mosul and Tikrit and large swaths of the northern and western part of the country. The Iraqi Security Forces (ISF) had disintegrated in the face of IS’s onslaught, and it took a fatwa from Grand Ayatollah Ali Al-Sistani to rally volunteers into the new Hashd al-Shaabi forces to stabilize the battlefront. Iraq’s two major foreign patrons the United States and Iran were competing for influence within the country, and had different views of how to fight the insurgency. The central government was still in a long standing dispute with Kurdistan over the budget and oil exports. Finally, Iraq was heading into a financial crisis as the price of oil collapsed at the end of the year. To help explain the prime minister’s position is Sajad Jiyad of the Iraqi Institute for Economic Reform.

Emma Sky recently published a book The Unraveling: High Hopes and Missed Opportunities in Iraq ab... more Emma Sky recently published a book The Unraveling: High Hopes and Missed Opportunities in Iraq about her time serving in Iraq under the Coalition Provisional Authority, during the Surge, and then while the United States was drawing down its forces for the 2011 withdrawal. What follows is an interview with Sky about her time in Iraq and what she thought about U.S. policies and Iraqi politicians.

The fall of Ramadi has led to lots of recriminations in both Iraq and in the United States. Prime... more The fall of Ramadi has led to lots of recriminations in both Iraq and in the United States. Prime Minister Haider Abadi, the Iraqi Security Forces, and the Obama Administration have each been blamed for the loss. In Iraq, the role of the Hashd al-Shaabi has also been a major issue as they were in Anbar fighting the Islamic State, but not in Ramadi in part because the premier and the U.S. were reluctant to fully deploy them out of fear that they might cause a backlash amongst the locals. Back in Washington, there are growing criticisms of the White House’s Iraq policy. Many are questioning how effective it is, with some talking about the futility of aiding a failed state while others are calling for a major escalation including sending back ground forces. To help dissect this on going debate is Ahmed Ali. He is a Visiting Senior Fellow at Educating for Peace in Iraq (EPIC).

Fanar Haddad is one of the pre-eminent scholars on sectarianism in Iraq. His 2011 book Sectariani... more Fanar Haddad is one of the pre-eminent scholars on sectarianism in Iraq. His 2011 book Sectarianism in Iraq, Antagonistic Visions of Unity was a ground breaking work on the topic. Recently Haddad wrote “The Hashd: Redrawing the Military and Political Map of Iraq” for the Middle East institute. That spurred this interview about what impact the Hashd al-Shaabi, the Popular Mobilization Units (PMUs) might have on the future of Iraqi politics. Haddad can be followed on Twitter at @fanarhaddad.

The insurgent’s summer offensive in Iraq in 2014 shocked the country and the world. The seizure... more The insurgent’s summer offensive in Iraq in 2014 shocked the country and the world. The seizure of Mosul in Ninewa was followed by a quick surge south that took part of Kirkuk and Salahaddin province along with the seizure of Tikrit. A few weeks later the Islamic State turned north and attacked the Kurds in Ninewa and Diyala. Iraq was reeling only to be saved by Ayatollah Sistani’s fatwa to defend the country, and the entry of the Iranians and the U.S.-led Coalition. Paul Brinkley is a former U.S. Deputy Undersecretary of Defense who led a Task Force in Iraq focused on economic stabilization from 2006-2011, an effort he wrote about in his recent book War Front to Store Front. He is now the co-founder and CEO of North America Western Asia Holdings (NAWAH), which is a major investor in Iraq, and was in the country during this traumatic period. Here is an interview with Brinkley about what Iraq was like during the summer of 2014 up to the present time.

The war in Iraq is obviously dominating the headlines, but the country is facing a number of othe... more The war in Iraq is obviously dominating the headlines, but the country is facing a number of other pressing issues at the same time. The United States and Iran are playing out their rivalry within the nation. There are still on going disputes between the central and Kurdistan regional government. Prime Minister Haider Abadi is trying to push major institutional reforms. To discuss these issues is Dr. Abbas Kadhim. He is a senior foreign policy fellow at the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies, and the president of the new Institute of Shia Studies.

From 2013-2014 it seemed like there was a broad rebirth of the Iraqi insurgency. The protest move... more From 2013-2014 it seemed like there was a broad rebirth of the Iraqi insurgency. The protest movement against Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki’s government revived a number of groups, which had gone dormant by the time of the U.S. withdrawal in 2011. The Islamic State (IS) and the Jaish Rijal al-Tariqa al-Naqshibandi (JRTN), two organizations, which never ceased operating were regrouping as well. A rough agreement was made between these different factions to work together during the summer of 2014 to seize territory from the government, which resulted in the fall of Mosul, Tikrit, and a large swath of Kirkuk province as well. The number of different groups who participated in the offensive last year gave rise to a narrative about revolutionaries and tribes, not just the Islamic State carrying out a revolt against Baghdad. Today, the story has changed as many of these smaller groups have either been swallowed up by IS or gone dormant. To help explain the changes that have taken place within the Iraqi insurgency is Aymenn Jawad al-Tamimi a fellow at the Middle East Forum. He can be followed on Twitter at @ajaltamimi.

Post-2003 Iraq has been known for its deep divisions. In his book Iraq after America: Strongmen, ... more Post-2003 Iraq has been known for its deep divisions. In his book Iraq after America: Strongmen, Sectarians, Resistance Col. Joel Rayburn tried to describe the different groups that have been struggling for power in the country through both participating in the government and violently trying to overthrow it. Rayburn worked in Iraq as an intelligence officer before going on to becoming a senior military fellow at the National Defense University’s Institute for National Strategic Studies and the Hoover Institution Working Group on Islamism and the International Order. He can be followed on Twitter @joel_rayburn. Below is an interview with Rayburn where he explains what he termed authoritarianism, sectarianism, maximalism, and resistance in Iraq.

Every Kurd in Iraq aspires for independence one day. In recent years the Kurdistan Regional Gover... more Every Kurd in Iraq aspires for independence one day. In recent years the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) has taken steps to build its own economic base to achieve that goal. That has not come without costs as former Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki cut off the Kurds’ budget allotment, which provided the vast majority of funds for the region. Then in the summer of 2014 the Kurds were able to occupy much of the disputed territory it claimed as historically theirs as the Iraqi Security Forces collapsed in the face of the insurgent offensive. Kurdish politicians were jubilant over this turn of events only to be shocked when the Islamic State attacked them in Ninewa and Diyala. Since then the peshmerga have joined the fight against the militants in northern Iraq, and made a deal with new Premier Haider Abadi over oil exports to restore its share of the national budget. To help explain these recent turn of events is David L. Phillips, the director of the Peace-Building and Rights program at the Institute for the Study of Human Rights at Columbia University. Phillips formerly worked at the United Nations and State Department, along with holding positions at Harvard University, the American University, New York University, the Diplomatic Academy of Vienna, the Council on Foreign Relations, the Atlantic Council, the Center for Strategic and International Studies, the European Center for Common Ground, the International Peace Research Institute of Oslo, the Congressional Human Rights Foundation, and the Elie Wiesel Foundation. He also recently authored The Kurdish Spring: A New Map of the Middle East along with other titles.

Elijah Magnier is Al Rai’s chief international correspondent. In the early years of the U.S. occu... more Elijah Magnier is Al Rai’s chief international correspondent. In the early years of the U.S. occupation he spent time with the Sadr movement and gained some important insight into the inner workings of the Trend, including the relationship between Moqtada al-Sadr and Qais Khazali who was one of Sadr’s top lieutenants until the two broke. Here is an interview with Magnier about what happened between the two that led to the formation of Asaib Ahl Al-Haq, the League of the Righteous. Magnier can be followed on Twitter @EjmAlrai

Abu Abed was the head of the Sons of Iraq (SOI)/Sahwa in Baghdad’s Amiriya. He cut a deal with th... more Abu Abed was the head of the Sons of Iraq (SOI)/Sahwa in Baghdad’s Amiriya. He cut a deal with the American forces to create security units in his district, and was known as a fierce fighter. When the civil war ended however he was at a loss as to his future. Both the government and Al Qaeda in Iraq went after him with an arrest warrant and assassination attempts. He ended up fleeing to Jordan and then Sweden for his safety. To help explain his story and the rise and fall of the Sahwa is an interview with Abu Abed, which was facilitated by Diane Maye, Associate Dean of Terrorism and Counterterrorism Studies at Henley-Putnam University.

Daveed Gartenstein-Ross is a senior fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies and an ad... more Daveed Gartenstein-Ross is a senior fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies and an adjunct assistant professor at Georgetown University. He recently published an article “The Islamic State’s Anbar Offensive And Abu Umar Al-Shisahni” in War on the Rocks that documented the Islamic State’s (IS) on going Anbar offensive and the role of one of its commanders, Abu Omar al-Shishani. To shed more light on this insurgent leader and the Islamic State’s strategy and tactics in Iraq and Syria is an interview with Gartenstein-Ross. He can be followed on Twitter at @DaveedGR.

Musings On Iraq