Middle East Research and Information Project

Critical Coverage of the Middle East Since 1971

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Reidar Visser

Reidar Visser is a research fellow at the Norwegian Institute of International Affairs and editor of the website www.historiae.org.

Current Analysis

Of "Instructors" and Interests in Iraq

The Obama administration repeatedly declares that it is “on track” to withdraw all US military forces from Iraq by the end of 2011, in keeping with candidate Barack Obama’s signature promise to “end the war in Iraq.” But, even as the White House avows this intention, policymakers in Washington repea

Reidar Visser • 9 min read

MER Article

Iraq Moves Backward

The easiest way to understand the dramatic changes in Iraqi politics from 2009 to 2010 is to look at shifts in the discourse of politicians belonging to the Da‘wa Party of Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki.

Reidar Visser • 16 min read

Current Analysis

A Litmus Test for Iraq

Former Iraqi Prime Minister Ibrahim al-Jaafari arrived in Basra on January 24. His mission in the southern oil port was to stump for his Reformist Front, a breakaway faction of the Da‘wa Party of the current premier, Nouri al-Maliki, ahead of Iraq’s January 31 provincial elections. His itinerary inc

Reidar Visser • 12 min read

Current Analysis

Debating Devolution in Iraq

In early August 2007, Jalal al-Din al-Saghir, a Shi‘i preacher affiliated with the Islamic Supreme Council of Iraq, made headlines with striking comments to a reporter for the Christian Science Monitor. The cleric revealed in an interview with Sam Dagher that “a massive operation” was underway to se

Reidar Visser • 11 min read

MER Article

Basra, the Reluctant Seat of "Shiastan"

On December 24, 2005, an Iraqi writing under the signature “Hammad” published a remarkable message on a website devoted to southern Iraqi affairs:

Reidar Visser • 19 min read