POL SCI 132A Lecture Notes - Lecture 2: Free Syrian Army, Basij, Syrian Armed Forces
Document Summary
Midterm: each essay site at least 3 sources (lectures, readings) During iran ire war, tried to recruit shia, downplay sectarianism, emphasize arabism. After the gulf war, saddam put down rebellions by the shia in the south, kurds in the north. Wants to emphasize arab identity not religious. American missteps on the road to civil war. Disbanding of iraqi national army (may 2003) Iraqi politics organized around the muhasasa ( ethono-sectarian quota system instituted by the americans to manage inter communal competition) 2004 : pledge of allegiance to al qaeda. 2006: bombing attack on mosque in samarra sparks civil war. Aqi controls a signi cant chuck of sunni iraq. Anbar awakening; sunni insurgenets, tribesmen and the us/iraqi military largely defeat aqi, which loses -96% of its personnel. 2010: al baghdadi as the new leader. 2013: becomes isis, begins to retake territory. Mahdi army (2003-08) saraya al salam (2014) Anti imperialist radical by the western press.
