The Iraq War — other valuable articles and reports

This page lists articles about undercovered aspects of the Iraq War.

Order of Battle for the Iraq and Afghanistan Security Forces

A project of the Long War Journal, this includes regular Army, Special Forces, Navy, Air Force, national and local police, and border security units.  It designates Kurdish units.  This is a valuable resource, useful for understanding reports about the Iraq War.  Also valuable would be information about the composition of units by region, ethnicity and sect — indications as to the ultimate loyalty of these units.

1. Iraqi Security Forces Order of Battle
2. Afghan Security Forces Order of Battle

The Occupation of Iraq

1. “Blind Into Baghdad“, James Fallows, The Atlantic (January/February 2004) — About the State Department’s preparation for the post-war period, the “Future of Iraq Project.  Secretary of Defense Rumsfeld destroyed this work in order to have DoD maintain control.
2. “Sovereigns of All They’re Assigned, Captains Have Many Missions to Oversee“, New York Times, (21 March 2008) — Describes how Army and Marine Captains act as colonial administrators in Iraq, something for which most have neither the training and experience.  They have done well, although with unknown consequences for the future.

Miscelaneous reports about Iraq during the war

“Debating Devolution in Iraq“, Reidar Visser  (10 March 2008) — Reidar Visser is a research fellow at the Norwegian Institute of International Affairs and editor of the Iraq website ww.historiae.org.  

The Air War in Iraq

Our use of airpower is the great undercovered story of the Iraq War.  Tom Engelhardt has been one of the few covering this key aspect of the war.  A journalist — no military expert — he has told a story ignored by most warbloggers and military experts.  For example, look at the low volume of coverage of the air war at StrategyPage, the Small Wars Council, and by Stratfor.  Here are his major articles on the air war, essential reading for anyone seeking to understand our activities in Iraq.

1. Incident on Haifa Street, TomDispatch (September 19, 2004)
2. Dahr Jamail on Life under the Bombs in Iraq, TomDisatpch (February 2, 2005)
3. Icarus (Armed with Vipers) Over Iraq, TomDispatch (December 5, 2005)
4. Michael Schwartz on Iraq as a Killing Ground, TomDispatch (January 10, 2006)
5. Air War, Barbarity, and the Middle East, TomDispatch (July 28, 2006)
6. Nick Turse on America’s Secret Air War in Iraq, TomDispatch (February 7, 2007)
7. Nick Turse: The Air War in Iraq Uncovered, Tom Dispatch (May 24, 2007)
8. Bombs Away Over Iraq, TomDispatch (29 January 2008)
9. “The Role of Airpower in the Iraq and Afghan Wars“, Anthony H. Cordesman, Center for Strategic adn International Studies (19 March 2008)
10. “Oops, Our Bad“, TomDispatch (10 April 2008)

Where to go for information about our bases in Iraq

1. If the U.S. is ultimately leaving Iraq, why is the military building ‘permanent’ bases?, Friends Committee on National Legislation
2. Iraq Facilities, Global Security.org
3. A Permanent Basis for Withdrawal?, Tom Engelhardt  (14 February 2006)
4. How Permanent Are Those Bases?, Tom Engelhardt  (7 June 2007)
5. Baseless Considerations, Tom Engelhardt  (4 November 2007)
6. A Basis for Enduring Relationships in Iraq, Tom Engelhardt (2 December 2007)