Middle East Research and Information Project

Critical Coverage of the Middle East Since 1971

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Military Intervention

The Political Logic Behind Iraq’s Fragmented Armed Forces
Iraqi Security forces are heavily deployed on the Jumhuriya (Republic) bridge leading to Baghdad’s Green Zone, during a demonstration by supporters of Iraq’s influential Shi’i cleric Muqtada al-Sadr on September 28, 2022, in conjunction with the parliament’s first session in two months. Ameer Al-Mohammedawi/dpa via Getty Images
MER Article

The Political Logic Behind Iraq’s Fragmented Armed Forces

On the cusp of losing power following a poor performance in the October 2021 election, Iraq’s Fateh Alliance and its Popular Mobilization Forces—a coalition of armed factions under the umbrella of the Iraqi state—sent protesters to occupy parts of Baghdad’s heavily fortified Green Zone. The winner
Renad Mansour • 7 min read