Iraq

After nearly 25 years of Saddam Hussein's rule, Iraqis generally welcomed his overthrow during the 2003 invasion, but the post-Saddam years have seen increased religious conflicts, economic struggles, insurgency, and the continued and divisive presence of occupying forces. RAND research on the Gulf Wars and nation-building efforts in Iraq have helped to inform and advise both the U.S. government and military, and the nascent Iraqi government.

Research conducted by: Center for Middle East Public Policy; RAND National Security Research Division; RAND Project AIR FORCE; RAND Arroyo Center

All Items (265)

REPORT

Resolving Kirkuk: Lessons Learned from Settlements of Earlier Ethno-Territorial Conflicts — May 9, 2012

Past efforts to resolve ethno-territorial conflicts in Brčko, Mostar, Northern Ireland, and Jerusalem provide insights that could facilitate a negotiated settlement regarding the disputed Iraqi city of Kirkuk. The case studies show that Arabs, Kurds, and Turkomen must emphasize governance over symbols of sovereignty, develop adaptable power-sharing mechanisms, marginalize spoilers, empower local leaders, and create multi-ethnic…

COMMENTARY

The Next War — May 3, 2012

To prepare for the interventions to come in the next decade, the United States must adapt the lessons from its experiences in Iraq and Afghanistan and use them to generate a new, more realistic, and feasible doctrine, write Radha Iyengar and Douglas A. Ollivant.

COMMENTARY

Al Qaeda Is Far from Defeated — Apr 29, 2012

As the administration looks eastward—a strategy that incorporates China's rise—underestimating al Qaeda would be a dangerous mistake, writes Seth G. Jones.

RESEARCH BRIEF

Urban Warfare: The 2008 Battle for Sadr City — Apr 9, 2012

The authors identify factors critical to the coalition victory over Jaish al-Mahdi in the 2008 Battle of Sadr City and describe a new model for dealing with insurgent control of urban areas.

COMMENTARY

US Control of Contractors in Iraq Is Vital — Feb 1, 2012

With U.S. troops out of Iraq, the U.S. presence there will fall to 5,000 private security contractors....The experience with private security contractors during the war was fraught with challenges that pose risks now, writes Molly Dunigan.

JOURNAL ARTICLE

Security of Cultural Property: U.S. Engagement and Potential for Improvement — Jan 1, 2012

This paper assesses the role of historic sites and antiquities in foreign engagement. Over the past century, U.S. foreign policy has had successes and shortcomings in leveraging protection of cultural patrimony to strategic advantage.

RESEARCH BRIEF

Can the Army Deploy More Soldiers to Iraq and Afghanistan? — Nov 17, 2011

Assess the demands placed upon the Army by the continuing deployments of soldiers to operations in Iraq and Afghanistan.

REPORT

From Insurgency to Stability: Volume II: Insights from Selected Case Studies — Sep 7, 2011

This book examines six case studies of insurgencies from around the world to determine the key factors necessary for a successful transition from counterinsurgency to a more stable situation. The authors review the causes of each insurgency and the key players involved, and examine what the government did right — or wrong — to bring the insurgency to an end and to transition to greater stability.

REPORT

The 2008 Battle of Sadr City — Aug 17, 2011

Using primary sources and interviews with those involved in the fighting and its aftermath, the authors describe the 2008 Battle of Sadr City, analyze its outcome, and derive implications for the conduct of land operations. Their analysis identifies factors critical to the coalition victory over Jaish al-Mahdi and describes a new model for dealing with insurgent control of urban areas.

COMMENTARY

The Case for Keeping U.S. Troops in Northern Iraq — Aug 3, 2011

Both Iraqi and Kurdish officials have expressed concern that ethnic violence will break out in the north once U.S. troops withdraw. Though many state publicly that the U.S. "occupation" must end, some of these same officials say privately that they would like U.S. troops to remain as a go-between, writes Larry Hanauer.

REPORT

Managing Arab-Kurd Tensions in Northern Iraq After the Withdrawal of U.S. Troops — Jul 25, 2011

Continuing tensions between Arab and Kurdish communities in Iraq could lead to inadvertent armed conflict unless Iraqi leaders resolve outstanding disputes regarding federalism, the legal and political status of disputed territories, and the management of northern Iraq's oil and gas resources.

REPORT

U.S. Prisoner of War, Detainee Operations Need More Advance Planning — Jun 9, 2011

Prisoner-of-war and detainee operations are a crucial component in the successful prosecution of a conflict — particularly in counterinsurgency operations — and should be upgraded to receive more attention and better advance preparation.

NEWS RELEASE

U.S. Prisoner of War, Detainee Operations Need More Advance Planning — Jun 9, 2011

Prisoner-of-war and detainee operations are a crucial component in the successful prosecution of a conflict -- particularly in counterinsurgency operations -- and should be upgraded to receive more attention and better advance preparation.

COMMENTARY

What Should We Expect of Our Spies? — May 25, 2011

Questions not asked or stories not imagined by policy are not likely to be answered or developed by intelligence, writes Gregory F. Treverton.

REPORT

Air Force Contingency Contracting: Reachback and Other Opportunities for Improvement — Mar 31, 2011

Examines "reachback" -- the use of contracting capability outside of the theater of operations to accomplish contracting tasks for customers in-theater -- as a potential means for reducing the deployment burden on military contracting personnel. The authors find that reachback might improve performance in some areas and has the potential to reduce deployments, but other issues also need to be addressed to reduce stress on the contracting…

REPORT

Financial Records of al-Qa'ida in Iraq Reveal Vulnerabilities and Information about the Group — Dec 22, 2010

An analysis of the financial operations and economics of al-Qa'ida in Iraq in Anbar province indicates that members were poorly compensated and suggests that they were not motivated primarily by money to join the group.

REPORT

Use of the C-27J Fixed-Wing Aircraft for Conducting Army Mission Critical, Time Sensitive Missions in Counterinsurgency Operations — Aug 24, 2010

The C-27J Spartan is a reasonable replacement for the C-23 Sherpa aircraft that now transport mission critical, time sensitive (MCTS) cargo and passengers to brigade combat teams in Iraq and Afghanistan. The Army's direct support approach for moving MCTS shipments using its organic aircraft is inherently more responsive than that of the Air Force, but both services should be able to improve the responsiveness of delivering MCTS shipments.

NEWS RELEASE

Keys to Successful Counterinsurgency Campaigns Explored — Jul 19, 2010

Good counterinsurgency practices tend to run in packs and whether a campaign includes more good practices than bad ones is a strong predictor of the outcomes of campaigns historically.

REPORT

Victory Has a Thousand Fathers: Sources of Success in Counterinsurgency — Jul 18, 2010

Approaches to counterinsurgency from 30 recent resolved campaigns show that good counterinsurgency practices tend to "run in packs" and that historically, the balance of selected good and ineffective practices perfectly predicts the outcome of a conflict.

REPORT

DNA as Part of Identity Management for the Department of Defense — Jul 15, 2010

Some view DNA as a useful way for the U.S. Department of Defense to keep track of a large and ever-growing number of people as it executes its mission. However, serious questions remain about the technical requirements, policy and legal ramifications, and costs and benefits of this tool compared with other biometrics.

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