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Iraq

US Withdrawal from Iraq and Conditions that Enabled ISIS’ Spread: 2011 and 2021 Comparison

By: LTC Octavian Dorobantu, ROU Army, CSAG CCJ5 23 July 2021 Introduction: In early 2019, the ISIS caliphate was declared “defeated” after losing the Battle of Baghuz Fawqani. However, in 2020, a significant growth in IS attacks has been witnessed in their traditional heartlands of Syria and Iraq, as well as an increasing presence in Read More >

Commercial UASs as a New Component of Modern Warfare

By: CDR Azamat Murzabekov, Kazakhstan Armed Forces, US Central Command: Strategy Plans and Policy Directorate; Combined Strategic Analysis Group 26 May 2021 Introduction: Since the end of the Cold War, unconventional asymmetric warfare has become the primary means of military conflict by the enemies of the US. Armed civilian and paramilitary forces have become more Read More >

Will a Major US Disengagement in the Middle East Lead to Conflicts Resulting in More Refugees and Migration?

By LTC Ali AL-Kaabi, UAE Air Force, US Central Command: Strategy Plans and Policy Directorate; Combined Strategic Analysis Group 07 May 2021 Introduction: Recent indicators stress a likely US gradual disengagement from CENTCOM’s area of responsibility. This likely US disengagement would affect key areas including national/regional security, the change in migration patterns, the affected countries’ Read More >

Iraq National Defence College Discussion

31 March 2021 – The NESA Center conducted a virtual private event for the National Defence College of Iraq to address the challenges and obstacles ahead of U.S.-Iraq relations under the new Biden Administration. The discussion was led by Mr. Daniel Curfiss, with a welcome by NESA’s Academic Dean, Dr. Roger Kangas, and Director LTG Read More >

Politics and Security in Iraq Today

Dr. Hassan Abbas, Distinguished Professor at NESA, provides a context for the current political and security situation in Iraq. He describes how the legacy of the Hussein regime still impacts all of Iraq, along with the current impacts of sectarian divisions, the actions of ISIL, and the actions of regional and non regional powers. Dr. Read More >

Iraq’s New Leadership: Hopes and Expectations

بالعربية Pусский Hassan Abbas, NESA Center After a prolonged political deadlock, Iraq finally has a new prime minister: former Iraqi intelligence chief Mustafa al-Kadhimi, an independent candidate. The task before him is gigantic, with challenges ranging from economic crisis due to coronavirus and collapsing oil revenues, to deteriorating relations with the U.S. and a worsening Read More >

How does Coronavirus Affect Stability in the Middle East?

Sam Marrero, NESA Center The validity of coronavirus data coming out of Middle Eastern countries may be uncertain, but most Middle Eastern countries – save Iran and Turkey – appear to avoiding a catastrophe of causalities. Take for example, Egypt, an under-resourced country of almost 100 million, which as of May 8th 2020 reported a Read More >

Pandemic Bumps in the Road to Great Power Competition

بالعربية Pусский Dr. Richard Russell, NESA Center The novel coronavirus pandemic is ravaging the world’s health, societies, and economies. The full devastation of the global menace is yet to be seen, but it is already having noticeable impact on international politics and security. The security fallouts can be detected in the geopolitical centers of world Read More >

Coronavirus and the Arab Gulf States: Modernization Delayed?

باللغة العربية en français David Des Roches, NESA Center, 29 March 2020 In a pandemic, there are three sources of societal damage. The first is damage from the disease; the second is damage from any panic which may accompany the disease, the third is economic damage due to the disease and the measures taken to Read More >