Confronting al Qaeda : the Sunni awakening and American strategy in al Anbar / Martha L. Cottam and Joe W. Huseby ; with Bruno Baltodano.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Cottam, Martha L., 1954- author.

Huseby, Joe W., author.

Baltodano, Bruno, author.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Iraq War, 2003-2011--Campaigns--Iraq--Anbār (Province).

Iraq War, 2003-2011.

Counterinsurgency--Iraq--Anbār (Province).

Counterinsurgency.

Qaida (Organization).

Anbār (Iraq : Province)--Politics and government--2003-.

Anbār (Iraq : Province).

Iraq--Military relations--United States.

Iraq.

Military relations.

United States.

United States--Military relations--Iraq.

Military campaigns.

Politics and government.

Iraq--Anbār (Province).

Physical Description:

ix, 147 pages ; 24 cm

Place of Publication:

Lanham, Maryland : Rowman & Littlefield, [2016]

Summary:

Based on in-depth interviews with tribal Sheiks involved in the Awakening and their American military counterparts, Confronting al Qaeda is a study of decision-making processes and the political psychology of the Sunni Awakening in al Anbar. It traces the change in American military strategy that made the Awakening collaboration between the Sunni tribes and the U.S. forces possible. It explains how the evolution of the tribal leaders' perspective and of the American military strategy led to defeat al Qaeda in al Anbar. Book jacket.

Contents:

1 Introduction 1

Explaining the Awakening 3

Social Identity Themes 4

Identities in al Anbar 5

The Role of Images 11

Methodology 16

2 US Intervention and the Birth of the Insurgency in al Anbar 23

Introduction 23

American Image of Iraq: President George W. Bush and His Administration 23

L. Paul Bremer, the Coalition Provisional Authority, and de-Ba'athification 30

The US Military: Mistakes, Regrets, and Early Corrections 35

Abu Ghraib 39

Fallujah 42

Ramadi 45

3 The Tribes: High Expectations and Disappointment 47

Preparing al Anbar for the Americans 49

One Last Try 56

The Insurgency 59

Explanations and Summary 62

Threats to Sunni Tribal Identity by the United States 62

Tribal Image of the United States 64

Sunni Tribal Image of al Qaeda 2003-2004 64

American Images of the Sunni Tribes 65

Conclusion 66

4 The Violence Escalates 69

Conspiracy Thinking and Perceptions of Iran and the Shi'a 74

Early Signs of Revolt; Al Qaim 76

The Americans Change Strategy 83

Implementing the New Strategy 86

Moving Toward an Awakening 92

Tenets of the Awakening Meeting 93

Conclusion 94

5 The Awakening Spreads 97

Conclusion 111

6 Epilogue and Conclusions 115

Security in Iraq and Al-Anbar 116

Military Progress Followed by Political Failings 117

Fracturing of the Iraqiya Party 118

Resurgent Sunni Militants and Fundamentalists 119

Replicating the Awakening 125.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN:

9781442264854

1442264853

OCLC:

930508646