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You are here: Home / Foreign Affairs / The Levantine Problem Set: Some Light(ish) Reading

The Levantine Problem Set: Some Light(ish) Reading

by Adam L Silverman|  January 6, 20208:48 pm| 40 Comments

This post is in: Foreign Affairs, Iran, Open Threads, Politics, Silverman on Security, War

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Bill Arnold in the comments to BettyC’s earlier post asked for some short reading about Iran. While they’re no longer posted on an outward facing website at USAWC, I’m attaching the three cultural assessments I did on 1) the Syrian Civil War, 2) Iran and Hezbullah, and 3) Iraqi sectarian violence. These were all done between spring 2013 and spring 2014. They are unclassified open source cultural assessments prepared by my office, when I had an office, at USAWC in support of various US Army and DOD elements that were dealing with these issues. They’re a bit dated now, for instance, Ahmedinijad is no longer Iran’s president, but they should provide what Bill is looking for.

USAWC_Culture_Ops_Syria_Brief_Final

USAWC_Culture_Report_Iran_Hezbullah_Shia_Near_Abroad_Final

USAWC_Cultural_Operations_Report_Politicization_of_Iraqi_Identity_Final

You can also find my article about the strategic complications of Iran’s human geography at this link. This was published by The Modern War Institute at West Point in August 2018 and is rooted in earlier work I had done for US Army and DOD elements.

Update at 9:05 PM EST

Figured I’d add one more. This is the preliminary write up – just the facts ma’am style – of the tribal history and social study I designed, directed, oversaw, and conducted in central Iraq in 2008. This initial write up was produced at the request of the senior State Department official who ran our brigade combat team’s embedded provincial reconstruction team. I gave him a courtesy briefing of what we’d been finding and he asked if I could write it up ASAP as he wanted to send it back to the Secretary of State as soon as possible. I have no idea if it ever got to Secretary Rice. Regardless, here you go.

HTT_Mada’in_Oral_History_Findings_BCT_Release

There will be a test later…

Open thread!

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Previous Post: «Auto Draft 8 Breakfast for Dinner: Instant Pot Pancakes – Light, Fluffy and Fun
Next Post: Monday Night Open Thread »

Reader Interactions

40Comments

  1. 1.

    David Anderson

    January 6, 2020 at 8:54 pm

    Thank you

  2. 2.

    Adam L Silverman

    January 6, 2020 at 8:54 pm

    I have no idea why there is all that extra space between “There will be a test later… and Open thread!”. And nothing I seem to try to get rid of it gets rid of it.

  3. 3.

    Adam L Silverman

    January 6, 2020 at 8:55 pm

    @David Anderson: I don’t have a soundcloud or Patreon, so please make checks payable to…

  4. 4.

    Lapassionara

    January 6, 2020 at 8:56 pm

    @Adam L Silverman: not that much open space on my IPad.

    thanks, Adam, for posting this.

  5. 5.

    hilts

    January 6, 2020 at 8:56 pm

    Adam,
    Thanks for the links.

    U.S. Media Outlets Fail to Disclose U.S. Government Ties of ‘Iranian Journalist’ Echoing Trump Talking Points
    h/t https://responsiblestatecraft.org/2020/01/06/u-s-media-outlets-fail-to-disclose-u-s-government-ties-of-iranian-journalist-echoing-trump-talking-points/

  6. 6.

    Baud

    January 6, 2020 at 9:00 pm

    OT.  Warren on Rachel tonight.

  7. 7.

    Aleta

    January 6, 2020 at 9:00 pm

    Other reading:  The International Institute for Strategic Studies published Iran’s Networks of Influence in the Middle East (in Nov. 2019 I believe).  They’ve made the Intro and Chapters 1 and 4 free to read.

    This 18-month long study, based on field work, interviews and open source analysis examines how Iran projects its influence in the Middle East through a variety of complex relationships with regional partners.

    Introduction

    Chapter One: Tehran’s strategic intent

    Chapter Four: Iraq

  8. 8.

    Adam L Silverman

    January 6, 2020 at 9:01 pm

    @Baud: That’s going to be uncomfortable.

  9. 9.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    January 6, 2020 at 9:02 pm

    There will be a test later…

    Essay or multiple choice?

  10. 10.

    Adam L Silverman

    January 6, 2020 at 9:06 pm

    I’ve done a quick update. Added one more document for your reading enjoyment.

  11. 11.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    January 6, 2020 at 9:07 pm

    interesting if followed through…

    The Hill‏Verified account @thehill 4h4 hours ago

    JUST IN: Romney says he wants to hear Bolton testimony in Trump impeachment trial 

  12. 12.

    Adam L Silverman

    January 6, 2020 at 9:08 pm

    @Jim, Foolish Literalist: Obstacle course.

  13. 13.

    Adam L Silverman

    January 6, 2020 at 9:08 pm

    @Jim, Foolish Literalist: It will not be followed through. Romney may “want to hear” Bolton’s testimony, but Romney will not do anything to make it happen.

  14. 14.

    hilts

    January 6, 2020 at 9:12 pm

    Trump in a nutshell

    While watching a recorded drone strike as president, when the CIA waited for a target to walk away from his family to strike (avoiding a war crime), Trump asked “why did you wait?”

    h/t https://twitter.com/Susan_Hennessey/status/1213612359501172737

  15. 15.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    January 6, 2020 at 9:19 pm

    Patton’s darker younger brother

    Matt Oswalt‏Verified account @MattOswaltVA Jan 5
    there’s literally no military response Iran can counter with that will infuriate Trump more than when he sees Suleimani’s funeral attendance is larger than his inauguration

  16. 16.

    jl

    January 6, 2020 at 9:20 pm

    Thanks for links!

    I have a case of severe sniffles and will miss the test.

  17. 17.

    TaMara (HFG)

    January 6, 2020 at 9:26 pm

    I post fluffy pancakes, you post in depth cultural assessments of the Mid-East.

    I feel inadequate. ;-)

  18. 18.

    Formerly disgruntled in Oregon

    January 6, 2020 at 9:26 pm

    @Adam L Silverman: And Mitt doesn’t need to worry about anything – Sens Collins and Murkowski are both now on board to punt the questions regarding witnesses to a future date (and with a quick, close vote to move on without them).

    No matter that the precedent they cite was a situation where all witnesses had already testified under oath prior to the articles of impeachment. Clinton’s administration lawfully complied with the previous Impeachment inquiry. T’s  administration has stonewalled and persistently obstructed justice. We haven’t heard from these witnesses yet.

    But I guess that’s “moderate” Republicans for you.

  19. 19.

    Adam L Silverman

    January 6, 2020 at 9:26 pm

    @TaMara (HFG): I can post fluffy assessments of the Middle East if that helps?

  20. 20.

    jl

    January 6, 2020 at 9:29 pm

    @TaMara (HFG): I for one, need to eat some fluffy pancakes in order to get through the foreign policy links. If that helps.

  21. 21.

    jl

    January 6, 2020 at 9:35 pm

    @Adam L Silverman: “I can post fluffy assessments of the Middle East if that helps?”

    With all due respect, there are plenty of places where we can get fluffy assessments of all sorts of things.

  22. 22.

    Adam L Silverman

    January 6, 2020 at 9:41 pm

    @jl: There is just no pleasing some people.

  23. 23.

    FlyingToaster

    January 6, 2020 at 9:59 pm

    @Adam L Silverman:

    I can post fluffy assessments of the Middle East if that helps?

    Nope.  I could waste money on the Boston Globe, if I wanted that.

    Hard Pass.

  24. 24.

    The Pale Scot

    January 6, 2020 at 10:03 pm

    @TaMara (HFG): A world without a place for fluffy pancakes is one I have no interest in

  25. 25.

    The Pale Scot

    January 6, 2020 at 10:10 pm

    @FlyingToaster: That is a great site.

    This one should be used to mark certain stories on BJ

    And on billboards facing cars entering Florida

  26. 26.

    FlyingToaster

    January 6, 2020 at 10:15 pm

    @The Pale Scot: I’m a patr(e)on of Aaron’s (Aaron Reynolds, creator of @SwearTrek, @EffinBirds, @BatLabels), so I have most of his relevant posts to hand.

  27. 27.

    Duane

    January 6, 2020 at 10:19 pm

    @jl:  Later, Cheryl will post about nuclear weapons and we can discuss fluffy bunnies, your worst test ever, and John Cole’s washing machine purchase.

  28. 28.

    Dan B

    January 6, 2020 at 10:30 pm

    @TaMara (HFG):   To (mangle)quote a general, or summuddy like that, “An army runs in its stomach.”

    And on my partner’s family’s charter boat the cook gets paid the same as the skipper.  (It’s the Schooner Zodiac, based out of Bellingham, in case you ever wanna get some island or Inside Passage scenery.)

  29. 29.

    Librarian

    January 6, 2020 at 10:44 pm

    I would like to add that maybe one also should read some general histories of Iran, such as Nikki Keddie’s Modern Iran and the books of Ervand Abrahamian.

  30. 30.

    Goku (aka Amerikan Baka)

    January 6, 2020 at 10:44 pm

    There will be a test later…

    Will it be graded on a curve? ; p

  31. 31.

    billcinsd

    January 6, 2020 at 10:46 pm

    @Adam L Silverman: You should post assessments of her fluffy pancakes

  32. 32.

    Chief Oshkosh

    January 6, 2020 at 10:48 pm

    @TaMara (HFG): Just looking at the fluffy pancakes gave me joy…and plans for the weekend.

  33. 33.

    Goku (aka Amerikan Baka)

    January 6, 2020 at 10:54 pm

    @Formerly disgruntled in Oregon:

    And Mitt doesn’t need to worry about anything – Sens Collins and Murkowski are both now on board to punt the questions regarding witnesses to a future date (and with a quick, close vote to move on without them).

    What does Murkowski owe to McConnell or Trump? She ran and won as a write-in candidate in 2010 thanks to Native American support because she IIRC paid attention to their issues and the alternative was a Tea Party goon. She’s proven she can win without official GOP support, so why does she do this shit? She could be far more powerful than she actually is. And does she think she’ll still have a job in 2022 after this farce?

    And speaking of Susie Q Collins, her polling isn’t looking so good:

    Sen. Susan Collins’s (R-Maine) approval rating is deeply underwater about a year ahead of her reelection race, according to a new poll from the left-leaning firm Public Policy Polling.

    Thirty-five percent of Maine voters polled approve of the job Collins is doing, while 50 percent disapprove. Collins trails a generic Democratic candidate 44 percent to 41 percent in the 2020 Maine Senate race, a drop from September, when she led a generic Democrat 44 percent to 38 percent.

    It’s early, I know, but that’s not good for Collins. Any Mainers who want to weigh in on Collins’ chances of losing?

  34. 34.

    Adam L Silverman

    January 6, 2020 at 11:02 pm

    @Librarian: I have read them.

    In this case Bill Arnold was asking for something short and on topic because he was finding very large, very thick books that aren’t necessarily written to be easily digested.

  35. 35.

    Librarian

    January 6, 2020 at 11:13 pm

    @Adam L Silverman: That wasn’t meant for you, but for anybody here who might be interested.

  36. 36.

    Barbara

    January 7, 2020 at 12:17 am

    @Goku (aka Amerikan Baka): There are several states that might as well be territories because they are so dependent on federal revenue.  Alaska is one of them.

  37. 37.

    AJ

    January 7, 2020 at 12:19 am

    @TaMara (HFG): that’s what makes BJ a full service blog!

  38. 38.

    Goku (aka Amerikan Baka)

    January 7, 2020 at 12:33 am

    @Barbara:

    Yeah, that makes sense, unfortunately

  39. 39.

    Chip Daniels

    January 7, 2020 at 12:56 am

    Thanks, Adam for these. They were very good, concise overviews.

  40. 40.

    The Pale Scot

    January 7, 2020 at 1:16 am

    @FlyingToaster: Real late but u might like this

    Swearing at work.

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