Radio War Nerd EP 459 — Iraqi Insurgency, Part 2: 2005 (feat. Rob Ashlar)

Guest: Rob Ashlar Recorded: July 23, 2024 Part 2 in our series with Rob Ashlar on the early Iraqi insurgency that gave birth to Islamic State and its many affiliates across Africa and Eurasia (Part 1 here). This episode, we look at the year 2005: the insurgency radicalizes and explodes under Zarqawi and his Al Qaeda in Iraq (AQI). Check out RWN EP #458, part 1 of our Iraqi Insurgency series with Rob AshlarAlso check out RWN EP #435 with Rob Ashlar: IS-KP's Friends in US-Occupied Afghanistan Subscribe to Rob Ashlar's substack Read Rob Ashlar's article "Monotheism and Struggle: The Story of Iraqi Insurgency, 2003-04" in Cosmonaut. *Key Acronyms & Names for this episode:-Abu Musab al-Zarqawi ("Zarqawi"): leader of JTJ (Jama'at al-Tawhid wa-l Jihad), then Al Qaeda in Iraq (AQI)-Hamid Dawud al-Zawi, aka Abu Omar al-Baghdadi (aka Abu Dua?): First Caliph of Islamic State in Iraq (IRI)-IRI: Islamic State in Iraq, formed in 2006 rooted in Zarqawi's AQI. First of the Islamic State (IS, ISIS, IS-KP etc) groups-AQI: Al Qaeda in Iraq, formed in 2004 by Zarqawi, folded into Islamic State in Iraq after Zarqawi's death-AQAP: Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula-Muhammad Latif: Head of Ramadi Shura Council, cooperated with Zarqawi at times-SCIRI: Supreme Council for Islamic Revolution in Iraq, Shia sectarian group that produced Badr Brigades and Shia death death squads like Mukhtar Battalion-Albu Mahal tribe: Powerful tribe in Al Qaim that rebelled against AQI, fielded 1000-strong Hamza Battalion Total time: 1:36:14 Direct link to this episode's mp3 here **HEY RWN KIWIS! Join the WN meetup in Wellington this Sunday July 28! Where: Little Beer Quarter, 6 Edward St, WellingtonWhen: Sunday, July 28 at 3pm * Subscribe to Radio War Nerd at patreon.com/radiowarnerd Sound production by Telescope Audio Check out the Radio War Nerd Merch store here! Order your print or ebook of John Dolan's new book Erdogan Pizza: Dispatches from a Violent & Grotesque World