• Muqtada al Sadr announces integration of his militia into the Iraqi state

    Iraqi nationalist cleric Muqtada al Sadr announced that his militia, Saraya al Salam, will integrate into state security institutions. This development comes as Iraq’s new political leadership is navigating the issue of disarming Iran-backed militias.

    Muqtada al Sadr announces integration of his militia into the Iraqi state
  • Tehran’s pawns in Iraq

    Bill is joined by show regular Edmund Fitton-Brown to discuss Edmund’s latest analysis for FDD’s Long War Journal: The role of Iraqi Shia militias as proxies in Iran’s Axis of Resistance.

    Tehran’s pawns in Iraq
  • Analysis: The role of Iraqi Shia militias as proxies in Iran’s Axis of Resistance

    Iraq’s Shia militias play a unique part in Iran’s Axis of Resistance and present distinct challenges for the US, Israel, and the Iraqi state. Notably, a more direct conflict between the militias and the US and Israel would imperil the Iraqi government’s ability to balance its relationships with Iran and the US, along with the country’s essential stability.

    Analysis: The role of Iraqi Shia militias as proxies in Iran’s Axis of Resistance
  • Muqtada al Sadr reactivates Mahdi Army, Promised Day Brigade

    Muqtada al Sadr has reactivated two of his longstanding militia forces in Iraq in response to the U.S. killing Qods Force commander Qassem Soleimani.

    Muqtada al Sadr reactivates Mahdi Army, Promised Day Brigade
  • Iraqi militant Qayis Khazali warned us about Iran. We ignored him.

    Iran has its tentacles all over Iraq, and the United States has no one to blame but itself. It is a bipartisan failure dating back to the March 2003 invasion. The seeds of this failure can be seen in the interrogation transcripts of Qayis Khazali, the leader of the Mahdi Army’s Special Groups and Asaib Ahl al Haq.

    Iraqi militant Qayis Khazali warned us about Iran. We ignored him.
  • Iran

    Anti-U.S. cleric Muqtada al Sadr retakes stage amid Iraq turmoil

    Iran
  • Hezbollah

    Iraq: Battle-hardened fighters return from Syria to fight ISIS at home

    Hezbollah