Essential Reading
Al-Qa'ida's Foreign Fighters in Iraq: A First Look at the Sinjar Records
Joseph Felter and Brian Fishman. Combating Terrorism Center, West Point, 19 December 2007 (.pdf file).
Al-Qaeda in Iraq: A Self-Fulfilling Prophecy
Peter Bergen and Paul Cruickshank. Mother Jones, 18 October 2007.
Iraq After the Surge
Paul Rogers. Oxford Research Group, August 2007 (.pdf file).
Iraq's Sunni Insurgents: Looking Beyond Al Qa'ida
Anthony H. Cordesman. Center for Strategic and International Studies, 16 July 2007. Posted on the Commonwealth Institute website (.pdf file).
Iraq's Insurgency and Civil Violence and US Strategy: Developments through June 2007
Anthony H. Cordesman. Center for Strategic and International Studies, 09 July 2007. Posted on the Commonwealth Institute website (.pdf file).
Iraq's Sectarian and Ethnic Violence and Its Evolving Insurgency
Anthony H. Cordesman. Center for Strategic and International Studies, 02 April 2007. Posted on the Commonwealth Institute website (.pdf file).
Understanding Proto-Insurgencies
Daniel Byman. RAND, 30 April 2007 (.pdf file).
Iraq: Tribal Structure, Social, and Political Activities
Hussein D. Hassan. Congressional Research Service, 15 March 2007 (.pdf file).
The Iraqi Insurgency: Actors, Strategies and Structures
Guido Steinberg. German Institute for International Security Affairs, December 2006 (.pdf file).
Scenarios for the Insurgency in Iraq
Alan Schwartz. United States Institute of Peace, October 2006 (.pdf file).
Iraq's Evolving Insurgency and the Risk of Civil War: Democracy, Deadlock, and Death Squads: Developments in the Summer of 2006
Anthony H. Cordesman. Center for Strategic and International Studies, updated 27 September 2006. Posted on the Commonwealth Institute website (.pdf file).
An Adaptive Insurgency: Confronting Adversary Networks in Iraq
Jeffrey White. The Washington Institute for Near East Policy, September 2006 (.pdf file).
After Zarqawi: The Dilemmas and Future of Al Qaeda in Iraq
Brian Fishman. The Washington Quarterly, Autumn 2006 (.pdf file).
Inside the Mind of Saddam's Chief Insurgent
Aparisim Ghosh. TIME Magazine, 24 July 2006.
Iraq Tribal Study - Al-Anbar Governorate
Lin Todd et al. Study conducted under contract with the Department of Defense, 18 June 2006. Posted on the Commonwealth Institute website (.pdf file).
The Many Faces of Abu Musab al Zarqawi
Nir Rosen. Truthdig, 09 June 2006.
Iraq's Resistance Evolves
Mathieu Guidère and Peter Harling. Le Monde Diplomatique, 02 May 2006.
In Their Own Words: Reading the Iraqi Insurgency
Middle East Report #50. International Crisis Group, 15 February 2006 (.pdf file).
Iraq's Evolving Insurgency: The Nature of Attacks and Patterns and Cycles in the Conflict
Anthony H. Cordesman. CSIS, 03 February 2006. Posted on the Commonwealth Institute website (.pdf file).
Assessing Iraq's Sunni Arab Insurgency
Michael Eisenstadt and Jeffrey White. The Washington Institute for Near East Policy, December 2005 (.pdf file).
How Big is the Iraqi Insurgency
John Robb. Global Guerrillas, 14 October 2005 (.pdf file).
Losing the Population: The Impact of Coalition Policy and Tactics on the Population and the Iraqi Insurgency
Timothy D. Haugh. Naval Postgraduate School, September 2005 (.pdf file).
Vicious Circle: The Dynamics of Occupation and Resistance in Iraq, Part One. Patterns of Popular Discontent
Carl Conetta. PDA Research Monograph #10, 18 May 2005. (Executive Summary) (Printable Pdf).
Who Are the Insurgents: Sunni Arab Rebels in Iraq
United States Institute of Peace, April 2005.
Why They Hate Us: Disaggregating the Iraqi Insurgency
Mark A. Steliga. Naval Post Graduate School, March 2005 (.pdf file).
City of Ghosts
Ali Fadhil. The Guardian, 11 January 2005.
Insurgency: Modern Warfare Evolves Into a Fourth Generation
Thomas X. Hammes. Institute for National Strategic Studies, National Defense University, January 2005 (.pdf file).
Epidemic Insurgency (Part 1)
John Robb. Global Guerillas, 17 November 2004.
Iraq's Chaos: Why The Insurgency Won't Go Away
Ahmed S. Hashim. Boston Review, October/November 2004.
Inside the Iraqi Resistance - Seven Part Series
Nir Rosen. Asia Times, 15 -24 July 2004.
Inside the Resistance
Zaki Chehab. The Guardian, 13 October 2003.
The Iraqi Tribes and the Post-Saddam System
Amatzia Baram. Brookings Institution Memo #18, 08 July 2003.
Iraqi Insurgency
Global Security.org.
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Important Reading
Jihadis Analyze U.S. Plans to Evacuate Forces from Iraq
Abdul Hameed Bakier. Jamestown Foundation, 29 January 2008.
Sufi Insurgent Groups in Iraq
Fadhil Ali. Jamestown Foundation, 24 January 2008.
Al-Qaeda Adapts its Methods in Iraq as Part of a Global Strategy
Abdul Hameed Bakier. Jamestown Foundation, 20 December 2007.
Iraqis Joining Insurgency Less for Cause Than Cash
Amit R. Paley. Washington Post, 20 November 2007.
Iraq's Networked Insurgents
Daniel Kimmage and Kathleen Ridolfo. Foreign Policy, November/December 2007.
List of Insurgent Fatality Reports in Iraq
Compiled by Wikipedia.com.
Iraqi Insurgent Media Campaign Targets American Audiences
Chris Zambelis. Jamestown Foundation, 16 October 2007.
The Myth of AQI
Andrew Tilghman. Washington Monthly, October 2007.
Iraq's 'Martyr' Factory
Rod Nordland and Babak Dehghanpisheh. Newsweek, 06 August 2007.
Suicide Bombers: A Breakdown
Compiled by Newsweek, 02 August 2007.
State of the Sunni Insurgency in Iraq
Evan F. Kohlmann. The Nefa Foundation, August 2007 (.pdf file).
U.S. Says Iraqi Militant Nonexistent
Tina Susman. Los Angeles Times, 19 July 2007.
Saudis' Role in Iraq Insurgency Outlined
Ned Parker. Los Angeles Times, 15 July 2007.
Al Qaeda in Iraq - Heroes, Boogeymen or Puppets?
Malcolm Nance. Small Wars Journal blog, 09 July 2007.
Who Are Iraq's Mehdi Army?
Patrick Jackson. BBC News, 30 May 2007.
A Brief History of the Islamic State of Iraq
Translated by the USG Open Source Center, posted on the Informed Comment website, 17 May 2007.
An Adaptive Insurgency: Confronting Adversary Networks in Iraq
Jeffrey White. Policy Focus #58. Washington Institute for Near East Policy, September 2006 (.pdf file).
An Interview with an Iraqi Insurgent
The Christian Science Monitor, 22 August 2006.
Iraq Violence: Facts and Figures
BBC News, 17 August 2006.
Iraq's Muqtada al-Sadr: Spoiler or Stabiliser?
International Crisis Group, 11 July 2006 (.pdf file).
Analysts: Former Regime Elements Form Core of Iraq Insurgents
Bassem Mroue. The Associated Press, 05 July 2006. Posted on the Army Times website.
Most Foreign Fighters in Iraq Come From Egypt: U.S. Military
Agence France-Presse, 29 June 2006.
The Changing Face of Resistance
Syed Saleem Shahzad. Asia Times, 23 June 2006.
The Terrorist
Lawrence Wright. The New Yorker, 19 June 2006.
Zarqawi's Death: Temporary 'Victory' or Lasting Impact
Anthony H. Cordesman. Center for Strategic and International Studies, 08 June 2006. Posted on the Commonwealth Institute website (.pdf file).
The Quarterly Report on Measuring Stability and Security in Iraq: Fact, Fallacy, and an Overall Grade of 'F'
Anthony H. Cordesman. Center for Strategic and International Studies, 02 June 2006. Posted on the Commonwealth Institute website (.pdf file).
U.S.'s Cultural Ignorance Fuels Iraq Insurgency (List of Insurgent Groups)
Steve Inskeep. NPR, 28 April 2006.
The Presence of Saudi Nationals in the Iraqi Insurgency
Christopher Boucek. Terrorism Monitor. Jamestown Foundation, 20 April 2006.
Iraq's Evolving Insurgency and the Risk of Civil War
Anthony H. Cordesman. Center for Strategic and International Studies, 03 April 2006. Posted on the Commonwealth Institute website (.pdf file).
Saddam Never Planned Insurgency: U.S. Military Study
Agence France Presse, 13 March 2006.
Fighting Insurgency on Sacred Ground
Ron E. Hassner. The Washington Quarterly, Spring 2006 (.pdf file).
Rebuilding Iraq: Stabilization, Reconstruction, and Financing Challenges
Joseph A. Christoff. GAO Testimony before the Committee on Foreign Relations, U.S. Senate, 08 February 2006 (.pdf file).
The Salafi-Jihadist Movement in Iraq: Recruitment Methods and Arab Volunteers
Murad Al-Shishani. The Jamestown Foundation, 02 December 2005.
Among Insurgents in Iraq, Few Foreigners Are Found
Jonathan Finer. Washington Post, 17 November 2005.
The Association of Muslim Scholars in Iraq
Roel Meijer. Middle East Report. MERIP, Winter 2005.
Aggressive Tactics Used in the Hunt for Insurgents Often Alienate Innocent Iraqis
Anna Badkhen. San Francisco Chronicle, 13 October 2005.
New Patterns in the Iraqi Insurgency: The War for a Civil War in Iraq
Anthony Cordesman. CSIS, 27 September 2005. Posted on the Commonwealth Institute website (.pdf file).
The Sunni Arab Insurgency: A Spent or Rising Force?
Michael Eisenstadt. The Washington Institute for Near East Policy, 26 August 2005.
Patterns of Insurgency and Counterinsurgency
John A. Lynn. Military Review, July-August 2005.
Anbar Province and Emerging Trends in the Iraqi Insurgency
Mahan Abedin. Terrorism Monitor, 15 July 2005.
Iraq: The Social Context of IEDs
Montgomery McFate. Military Review, May/June 2005 (.pdf file).
The Sadr II Movement: An Organizational Fight for Legitimacy within the Iraqi Shi'a Community
Timonthy Haugh. Center for Contemporary Conflict, May 2005 (.pdf file).
Analysis of Sunni-Based Opposition in Iraq
Timothy Haugh. Center for Contemporary Conflict, May 2005 (.pdf file).
Arab Volunteers Killed in Iraq: An Analysis
Reuven Paz. Project for the Research of Islamist Movements, March 2005 (.pdf file).
CIA Studies Provide Glimpse of Insurgents in Iraq
Walter Pincus. Washington Post, 06 February 2005.
Insurgency in Iraq: An Historical Perspective
Ian F.W.Beckett. Strategic Studies Institute, Army War College, January 2005 (.pdf file).
Fourth Generation Warfare and OODA Loop Implications of The Iraqi Insurgency
G.I. Wilson, Greg Wilcox and Chet Richards. Defense and The National Interest, 22 December 2004. (Note: Will open as a Powerpoint Presentation).
Seeds of Chaos
Edward T. Pound. U.S. News and World Report, 20 December 2004.
In Northern Iraq, the Insurgency Has Two Faces, Secular and Jihad, but a Common Goal
Richard A. Oppel Jr. New York Times, 19 December 2004.
For Faith and Country: Insurgents Fight On
Rory McCarthy. The Guardian, 16 December 2004.
Bungling Raids by US Troops Fuel Iraqi Anger
Anthony Loyd. The Times, UK, 11 December 2004.
Fallujah Leaders Were Local, Not Foreign
Hamza Hendawi. The Associated Press, 24 November 2004. Posted on the Truthout website.
Fallujah's Real Boss: Omar the Electrician
Hannah Allam. Knight Ridder Newspapers, 22 November 2004. Posted on the Seattle Times website.
An Inventory of Iraqi Resistance Groups: Who Kills Hostages in Iraq
Samir Haddad and Mazin Ghazi. Al Zawra, Baghdad, 19 September 2004. Posted on the U.S. Labor Against War website.
Patchwork of Insurgent Groups Runs Fallujah
Dhiya Rassan. Institute of War and Peace Reporting, 17 September 2004.
Sadrist Revolt Provides Lessons For Counterinsurgency in Iraq
Jeffrey White and Ryan Phillips. Jane's Intelligence Review, August 2004. Posted on the Washington Institute for Near East Policy website (.pdf file).
In Anger, Ordinary Iraqis Are Joining the Insurgency
Edward Wong. The New York Times, 28 June 2004. Posted on the Common Dreams website.
Who Exactly Are the Iraqi Resistance?
Ghaith Abdul-Ahad. The Guardian, 25 June 2004.
The Re-Baathification of Falluja
Jeffrey Gettleman. The New York Times, 20 June 2004. Posted on the Iraq Monitor website.
The War in Iraq: The Nature of Insurgency Warfare
Andrew Krepinevich. Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessment, 02 June 2004 (.pdf file).
Insurgency and Counterinsurgency in Iraq
Bruce Hoffman. RAND, June 2004 (.pdf file).
Insurgency in Iraq and Afghanistan: Change and Continuity
Steven Metz and Raymond Millen. Strategic Studies Institute, Army War College, June 2004 (.pdf file).
Insurgent Operations Against the Highways in Iraq
Jeffrey White and Ryan Phillips. The Washington Institute for Near East Policy, 26 April 2004.
Anger Over Fallujah Reaches Ears of the Faithful
Anne Barnard. The Boston Globe, 11 April 2004.
Terrorism: Jihadist Website Describes Jihadist Movements in Iraq
FBIS Report, 14 March 2004.
Insurgent and Soldier: Two Views on Iraq Fight
Nicholas Blanford. Christian Science Monitor, 25 February 2004.
Iraqi Insurgent Movement
Christopher Alexander, Charles Kyle and William McCallister. Naval Post Graduate School, 14 November 2003. Posted on the Commonwealth Institute website (.pdf file).
Iraqi Resistance Proves Resilient
Michael Knights and Jeffrey White. Jane's Intelligence Review, November 2003. Posted on the Washington Institute for Near East Policy website (.pdf file).
Resistance in Iraq
Jeffrey B. White and Michael Schmidmayr. Middle East Quarterly, Fall 2003 (.pdf file).
Burden of Victory: The Painful Arithmetic of Stability Operations
James T. Quinlivan. RAND Review, Summer 2003.
Force Requirements in Stability Operations
James T. Quinlivan. Parameters, Winter 1995.
