Iraq: Politics

Kenneth Katzman, Specialist in Middle Easter Affairs, has written a Congressional Research Service (CRS) report entitled Iraq: Politics, Governance, and Human Rights made available December 17, 2013. Mr. Katzman discusses the continuing conflict between Sunni and Shiite factions in Iraq as well as Iraq's efforts to reestablish its place in the Arab world.

Report of the Subcommittee on Military Justice in Combat Zones

The Defense Legal Policy Board has released a report dated May 30, 2013 which addresses both best practices and areas for improvement regarding "military justice in cases of U.S. Service members alleged to have caused the death, injury or abuse of non-combatants in Iraq or Afghanistan." The Secretary of Defense's questions explored by the committee were:

1. The manner in which such alleged offenses are initially reported and investigated; are there ways to ensure that alleged offenses are reported and investigated promptly, thoroughly, and accurately? Are there ways to improve cooperation with local law enforcement and local communities?
2. The command level at which the initial and final disposition authority now resides in such cases; is it at the right levels, or should the disposition authority be withheld to a different level?
3. In joint, deployed areas, should military justice be pursued within the joint force, utilizing joint resources, rather than having cases handled separately and within each component service?
4. In deployed areas, are resources adequate for the investigation of offenses and the administration of military justice?
5. Should the system of military justice be revised in some manner to improve the way in which cases involving multiple defendants are handled? In cases involving multiple defendants, should the system be revised in some manner to better secure the testimony and cooperation of those involved in the offense? Are there lessons to be learned from the civilian system?
6. Does the military justice system in deployed areas fully preserve the rights of the accused, while also respecting the rights and needs of victims and witnesses?

To read the Report of the Subcommittee on Military Justice in Combat Zones access: http://www.caaflog.com/wp-content/uploads/20130531-Subcommittee-Report-REPORT-OF-THE-SUBCOMMITTEE-ON-MILITARY-JUSTICE-IN-COMBAT-ZONES-31-May-13-2.pdf

Reconstruction in Iraq and Afghanistan

Quarterly Inspector General reports about reconstruction in Iraq and Afghanistan are now available.

SIGAR's (Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction) second quarterly report to Congress (Jan. 2009) about Afghanistan summarizes oversight reports on reconstruction since 2002, discusses observations about challenges to reconstruction, and outlines SIGAR's methodology for oversight.

SIGIR's (Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction) Jan. 2009 quarterly report about Iraq "examines the obligation and expenditure of the four major U.S. reconstruction accounts, updates progress on significant projects in the provinces, and reviews key political, economic, and security developments that will affect the U.S. program in Iraq during 2009." It also makes the following recommendations:

• Expeditiously appoint new leadership and clearly articulate policy and budget direction.
  
• Re-evaluate and re-shape the reconstruction management structure to fit the new era in Iraq.
  
• More efficiently integrate civil and military management structures.
  
• Effectively manage the security situation in accord with the terms of the new Security Agreement.
  
• Urge the Government of Iraq to embrace and sustain its primary role in reconstruction.

Stability and Security in Iraq

The Department of Defense has released its Dec. 2008 quarterly report, Measuring Stability and Security in Iraq. The report indicates progress toward political, security, and economic stability in Iraq. Also of interest are charts and graphs scattered throughout the publication on such topics as oil production and export, civilian deaths, U.S. deaths, weapons caches, neighborhood stability, and MoD and Mol operational readiness. Another helpful tool is a list of acronyms and abbreviations.

Previous quarterly reports are also available.

Iraq Reconstruction

What is the status of reconstruction in Iraq? Reports about reconstruction progress are available from SIGIR, the Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction which replaced the Coalition Provisional Authority Inspector General (CPA-IG), created by Congress to provide oversight of the Iraq Relief and Reconstruction Fund (IRRF). Quarterly reports from SIGIR are available from March 2004 to the present. The SIGIR reports site also includes "lessons learned" reports, audit reports, project assessment reports, testimony before Congress, and links to other related resources.

Iraq Stability and Security

The latest (Sept. 2008) quarterly report of the Department of Defense's "Measuring Stability and Security in Iraq" is now available. Previous editions are located at http://www.defenselink.mil/home/features/Iraq_Reports/index.html. Major topics covered include political stability, economic activity, security/transferring security, and Iraqi Security Forces training and performance.

al-Qa'ida's Foreign Fighters in Iraq

The Combating Terrorism Center at West Point has released its second report about al-Qa'ida's foreign fighters in Iraq. Entitled Bombers, Bank Accounts, and Bleedout: al-Qa`ida's Road in and Out of Iraq, the report expands on the analysis contained in the first report and introduces "a host of new data" about suicide bombers, fighters, funding sources and expenditures, and ties to other groups.

Major new findings summarized by Professor Sawyer of West Point (GovDoc-L 28 Jul 2008) include:

Foreign Fighters were an important source of funds for AQI; Saudi Fighters contributed far more money than any other nationality.

Far more Syrians and Egyptians are held at Camp Bucca than were listed in the Sinjar Records, which likely reflects the demographic shift away from those nationalities.

Approximately 75% of suicide bombings in Iraq between August 2006 and August 2007 can be attributed to fighters listed in the Sinjar Records.

"Bleedout" of fighters from Iraq is occurring, but in relatively small numbers. Nonetheless, these individual fighters will likely be well-trained and very dangerous. The primary threat from these fighters is to Arab states, Af-Pak, and perhaps Somalia.

Smuggling of all kinds across the Syrian/Iraqi border has long been linked to corruption in both Syria and Iraq, which limits both government's ability to crackdown.

Fighters that contributed money to AQI were more likely to become suicide bombers.

Two Iraq Reports Now Available

The Rand Corporation just released a report analyzing the planning and execution of combat and stability operations in Iraq. Conducted for the U.S. Army, the report begins with prewar planning, revealing that while many government agencies and organizations "identified a range of potential postwar challenges and suggested strategies for addressing them" before the invasion of Iraq, two sets of assumptions by officials in the highest levels of government undermined those suggestions: 1. many senior government policymakers were optimistic about "conditions that would emerge after major combat concluded" and overrode counterarguments, and 2. senior military commanders thought that civilians would be responsible for the postwar period. The report also looks at the role of U.S. military forces after initial combat ended on May 1, 2003 through June 2004, and civilian reconstruction efforts. Both the June 30, 2008 press release and the report entitled After Saddam: Postwar Planning and the Occupation of Iraq are available online. (The report is also available in paper.) This report is one of an eight-volume set analyzing combat and stability planning and execution in Iraq. Six of the volumes are classified; a seventh volume, in process, will be unclassified.

The conduct of the war in Iraq after the fall of Saddam Hussein is the subject of another report just released by the Combat Studies Institute Press at Fort Leavenworth. Entitled The United States Army in Operation Iraqi Freedom, May 2003-January 2005: On Point II: Transition to the New Campaign, the report "examines both the high-level decisions that shaped military operations after May 2003 as well as the effects of those decisions on units and Soldiers who became responsible for conducting those operations." A print copy is also available from the Government Printing Office. A review of the report is available from History News.

Reconstruction Progress in Iraq

The latest (April 30, 2008) State Inspector General For Iraq Reconstruction (SIGIR) ) quarterly report is now available. The report details how the $46 billion for relief and reconstruction allocated to Iraq since April 2003 has been spent. It also provides information about "the top five projects in each construction sector, the top contractors by income, an overview of reconstruction management, and SIGIR's new audits and inspections." One bit of good news is that Iraq's revenue income should be around $70 billion for 2008 which is twice the expected amount.

Unmanned Systems' Vital Role in Warfare

The Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD) has developed a roadmap for using unmanned aircraft, ground, and maritime systems to meet our nation's security needs especially in the Global War on Terrorism. The Unmanned Systems Roadmap (2007-2032) documents the value of these systems for carrying out such tasks as mine detection, signals intelligence, precision target designation, reconnaissance, communication, and data rely while reducing the risk to human life. The document suggests prioritizing future research, development, and procurement of unmanned systems based on needs in four areas: reconnaissance and surveillance, target identification and designation, counter-mine warfare, and CBRNE (chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, explosive) reconnaissance.

National Guard and Reserves Status

The Defense Science Board, a Federal Advisory Committee which provides independent advice to the Secretary of Defense, has issued a new report about the current deployment of National Guard and reserve troops. Entitled Deployment of National Guard and Reserve in the Global War on Terrorism, the report examined the "length and frequency of deployment of members of the National Guard and reserve." The board looked at the Secretary of Defense's January 2007 policy which set the following guidelines: "one year deployed and two years not deployed for the active force, one year mobilized and five years not mobilized for the reserve components." The report concluded that "given current levels of operational demand, today's Army active, National Guard, and reserve force structure will not support DOD's policy." It also emphasized the need for more training at reserve home stations before mobilization and expressed concern about having sufficient support at home to meet "homeland security, civil support, and domestic emergency requirements."

Blackwater Hearing

The House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform has released testimony from the October 2 Blackwater hearing which examined the mission and performance of the private contractor in Iraq and Afghanistan. Included are links to an overview, Chairman Waxman's opening statement, a video of the hearing, and information about the crash of Blackwater Flight 61 in Afghanistan. Various other Blackwater-related documents containing testimonies, emails, memorandums, and graphs are linked at the end.

Iraq and the "New Way Forward"

The White House has released its Benchmark Assessment Report about progress in Iraq. This is the second of two reports required by Section 1314 of the U.S. Troop Readiness, Veterans' Care, Katrina Recovery, and Iraq Accountability Appropriations Act, 2007 (Public Law 110-28). (Deadlines for submitting the reports were July 15, 2007 and Sept. 15, 2007.) In addition to a summary of the Iraqi Government's achievements and shortfalls in meeting 18 specific benchmarks, the assessment explains current U.S. strategy in Iraq entitled the "New Way Forward."

General Petraeus' Report to Congress

General David H. Petraeus testified today before the House Armed Services and Foreign Relations Committees. His prepared statement discusses force reductions and includes a chart showing planned reductions through July 2008 when pre-surge levels will be reached.

See also:
Ambassador Crocker's statement
C-SPAN coverage
CNN coverage

Report of the Independent Commission on the Security Forces of Iraq

The 152 page Report of the Independent Commission on the Security Forces of Iraq, released Sept. 6, 2007, concludes that although the Iraqi Security Forces are improving, they will not be able to operate independently in the next 12 to 18 months to "secure Iraqi borders against conventional military and external threats" (p.12). Headed by General James L. Jones, Jr., USMC (Ret.), the commission lists separate findings and recommendations for each branch of the Iraqi military (Army, Navy, Air Force), the Ministry of Defense, the Ministry of Interior, the Iraqi Police, the National Police (recommended disbanding them), and the Department of Border Enforcement.

Military Suicide Rate

On Aug. 16, 2007 the U. S. Army released data revealing that there were 99 suicides within the Army in 2006. Thirty of them occurred in Iraq or Afghanistan. This compares to 87 suicides in 2005 and 67 in 2004. However, when comparing the data to the suicide rate for the same age and gender group of the total U.S. population, there were approximately 19 suicides per 100,000 people in the general population versus 17.3 suicides per 100,000 soldiers.

The Army is taking steps not only to reduce suicides, but also to increase awareness about mental health issues and decrease the stigma associated with seeking mental health care. One resource readily available to military personnel, their families, and the general public is the Army's Suicide Prevention Web site.

Preservation on Deck

The latest decks of playing cards being distributed to U.S. soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan do not contain images of the top enemy insurgents like their immediate predecessors. Rather, in a move to preserve ancient sites and stem the illegal trade of artifacts from war-torn areas, soldiers preparing for deployment at Fort Drum, New York are receiving decks of playing cards containing an archaeological theme by suit: diamonds/artifacts, spades/digs, hearts/winning hearts and minds, and clubs/heritage preservation. The "Desert Solitaire" cards are not a new idea for giving soldiers a useful way to spend off-duty time. During World War II soldiers received cards with silhouettes of Allied and Axis fighter planes.

Stability and Security in Iraq

Measuring Stability and Security in Iraq, a quarterly report from the Defense Department released in June 2007, is the first report to measure progress and setbacks in Iraq since the new strategy devised by General Petraeus was adopted. Quarterly reports from July 2005 through November 2006 and March 2007 are also available.

Prewar Intelligence Assessments About Postwar Iraq

The Senate Select Committee on Intelligence has just released its 226-page report Prewar Intelligence Assessments About Postwar Iraq together with Additional Views . For a discussion about the details of the report and Democratic and Republican reactions, see "Senate Democrats Say Bush Ignored Spy Agencies’ Prewar Warnings of Iraq Perils" in the May 26 edition of the New York Times.

National Intelligence Estimate on Iraq

The DNI (Office of the Director of National Intelligence) has posted an unclassified copy (including key judgments) of the new National Intelligence Estimate (NIE) on Iraq entitled "Prospects for Iraq's Stability: A Challenging Road Ahead." The DNI has also made available the unofficial transcript of the nomination hearing for Mike McConnell to be the next Director of National Intelligence.