“Confronting these militias is like taking on the Sicilian Mafia—they have penetrated the judiciary, the economy, and the security services to the point of state paralysis.”
Browsing: Militias
The state cannot control armed factions. Protesting Washington is safe. Confronting militias is impossible. Sovereignty is violated from within before without.
“Every attack on an American base, diplomatic mission, or energy asset should be met with an immediate response.”
A Levant without militias? Syria disarmed SDF, Lebanon collects Hezbollah weapons, Iraq struggles with Hashd.
Iraq’s militias evolved from ideological proxies to market-driven actors: guns for hire became checkbooks.
Iraq is being pulled into the war; rockets have landed across the country, and the government does not fully control the factions.
Iraq’s foreign policy is shaped by internal rivalries and militia influence, not strategy; pro-U.S. factions gain as Iran weakens.
Two Iran-aligned Iraqi factions are openly recruiting for war, alarming the Iraqi government; the factions “listen to no one.”
Iraq’s 2025 elections saw reported 56% turnout, but real participation among adults was just 38.5%—matching previous lows.
Hamas has threatened to eliminate Israeli-backed militias in Gaza, which operate under Israeli protection and are widely rejected by the public.