Publication

25 Jun 2007

This report addresses the state of Iraq's second largest city of Basra, pointing to the inability to establish a legitimate, capable and functioning provincial apparatus. The paper comments on the city's characteristics, including diversity, "southernism" and foreign interference, analyzes which forces are responsible for most of the violence and stresses the degradation of state institutions. Subsequently, the paper comments on the record of Operation Sindbad, an attempt by the UK forces to improve security. The paper states that Iraq is in the midst of a civil war and has become a failed state.

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Author International Crisis Group
Series Crisis Group Middle East Reports
Issue 67
Publisher International Crisis Group (ICG)
Copyright © 2007 International Crisis Group (Crisis Group)
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