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September 2
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A report by Anthony Cordesman, the CSIS Arleigh A. Burke Chair in Strategy, was cited by the Financial Times, "Now Basra Basks."
When asked about the militias that until a few months ago controlled Basra, a young Iraqi soldier stamps his boot to the ground as if crushing a beetle. Clearly feeling confident in his camouflage uniform and red beret, he then swishes his hand as if it were an axe to chop at his legs. [. . .] The elections are supposed to take place in October, but Iraq's parliament has not yet passed the required legislation. Analysts say a motive behind Mr Maliki's decision to launch Charge of the Knights was to discredit and reduce the power of the Sadrists ahead of the elections. But attempting to marginalise the movement could be risky. "If Sadr is excluded from Iraq's political process, feels the process is unfair, or chooses to mix politics with violence, the JAM [Mahdi army] could again become a major threat," analysts at the Centre for Strategic and International Studies wrote in a report last month. Read More
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August 28
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Anthony Cordesman, the CSIS Arleigh A. Burke Chair in Strategy, was quoted by the Associated Press, "Iraqi Forces Starting to Lead but Need U.S. Aid."
The Iraqi battalion leader huddled over the map with his American advisers, showing them how he planned to surround a Sunni enclave where al-Qaida militants were believed hiding. [. . .] Anthony Cordesman of the Washington-based Center for Strategic and International Studies warns against exaggerating the Iraqi troops' progress, citing serious ethnic and sectarian tensions and a shortage of experienced officers. Read More
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August 22
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Anthony Cordesman, the CSIS Arleigh A. Burke Chair in Strategy, was quoted by Reuters, "Analysis: Iraq Troop Deal Could Affect U.S. Presidential Race."
A U.S. agreement on a timeline to pull troops from Iraq could erode some of Democrat Barack Obama's appeal as the anti-war presidential candidate.[. . .] If a timetable for the United States to leave is announced soon, both campaigns are likely to claim it shows they had good instincts in foreign affairs, said Anthony Cordesman of the Center for Strategic and International Studies. Read More
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