G. W. Bush, ”War on Terror” (Anderson, p. 169)
Riverbend/Iraqis, “Resistance” against U.S. troops vs. “Terrorism” against civilians (Anderson, p. 179; Riverbend, pp. 9-10)
What is an insurgency? Why does an anti-American insurgency begin to develop in Iraq by Summer of 2003?
Native government (Syria, 2011-present)
✓Foreign occupation (Iraq, 2003-2011)
✓Politics, 80%
Arming, financing, recruiting
✓Warfare, 15%
Administration, 5%
Islamic State, 2014-2019 in Western Iraq and Easter Syria
Taliban in Afghanistan, August 2021-present
✓=Relevant to Iraq in 2003-2011
*“War on Terrorism” in Iraq?
Iraqi definitions of "terrorism" (Anderson p. 179, Riverbend, pp. 121-22)
Insurgency or “Resistance”
Political-Military reaction to perceived oppression by stronger power within country
Military strategy/tactics of insurgency
*Guerrilla warfare against hard targets (compare with Conventional warfare)
Military of occupier
Military tactic
Terrorism against soft targets
Viewed as politically aligned with occupier (Red Cross, U.N., members of IGC, etc.)
Political tactic
Hard targets
U.S. Troops
Soft targets
U.N. Mission
Aid organizations
Iraqi allies of U.S.
According to Anderson and Riverbend, what people are involved in the insurgency or “resistance”? Who do they identify as the “terrorists”?
How do the two groups differ in their political goals and military tactics?
What counterinsurgency tactics did the U.S. military initially employ in Iraq?
Why did the raid of Abu A.'s house create a Type II cultural incident and have such a powerful effect on Riverbend (pp. 70-5)?
According to Riverbend, how effective are the interrogation, prison and justice systems (pp. 231-5, 258-63)?
How did Riverbend react to the Battle of Fallujah (Falloojeh) and abuses at Abu Ghraib (Riverbend, pp. 246-55, also see Anderson, pp. 173-178)?
*Secular nationalists
Ex-Iraqi military and Ba'th party members
*Religious nationalists
Sunni extremists
Al-Qaeda external support
Shi'ite extremist militias
Iranian external support
*IEDs (Improvised Explosive Devices)
Mortars
Assassinations
Suicide bombings (Sunni extremists)
Civilian, governmental, and Shi'ite religious sites
Executions of hostages (Sunni extremists)
House-to-house raids
Checkpoints
Patrols
Minimal Arabic language & cultural training
Lack of good intelligence (Riverbend, p. 231-5)
“American troops were and blind deaf to much of what was going on around them…and the Iraqis were often terrified.” (NPR reporter Anne Garrels, quoted in Anderson, p. 171)
Lack of functioning judicial system
Abu Ghraib Prison (Riverbend, p. 231-5, 258-63)