You Better Pay Off the Sons of Iraq!
Jul 31, 20201M Shares15.5M Views
Mohammed Hafez of the Naval Postgraduate School takes a look at how Al Qaeda in Iraq could mount a comeback.
The short answer: If the U.S. doesn’t broker a formidable deal between the Sons of Iraq — the 100,000 mostly Sunni ex-insurgents currently paid by the U.S. to be a pro-U.S. militia — and the Shiite-controlled Iraqi government, which hates them.
“That could be a gamechanger,” Hafez says.
Already, Al Qaeda in Iraq is putting out the line that the U.S. will betray the Sons of Iraq. Unless the U.S. figures out how to get the Shiites to embrace them — easier said than done, obviously — it’ll play right into AQI’s hands.
Once again, sectarianism cuts against the U.S.’s counterterrorism goals.
Paolo Reyna
Reviewer
Paolo Reyna is a writer and storyteller with a wide range of interests. He graduated from New York University with a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism and Media Studies.
Paolo enjoys writing about celebrity culture, gaming, visual arts, and events. He has a keen eye for trends in popular culture and an enthusiasm for exploring new ideas. Paolo's writing aims to inform and entertain while providing fresh perspectives on the topics that interest him most.
In his free time, he loves to travel, watch films, read books, and socialize with friends.
Latest Articles
Popular Articles