THE SHIITE JIHAD IN SYRIA AND ITS REGIONAL EFFECTS

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56 n THE SHIITE JIHAD IN SYRIA during the U.S. occupation of Iraq. 302 With the June 2014 ISIS advance, it would appear that many of these nefarious activities, including human rights abuses, are being continued in earnest. 303 With these developments in mind, the rise of Shiite militias in Syria and Iraq, and their sponsorship by Iran, must be considered in reorienting a U.S. policy to address the entire complicated region. Some realistic, as well as easily integrated and promoted, steps to counter Shiite militias’ influence include the following: • refocused analyses. Iranian proxy organizations should not be viewed as atomized entities. Instead, they should be recognized as subnetworks of a broader IRGC–Qods Force network and part and parcel of a larger regional strategy. This is especially the case for AAH and the Badr Organization. Both have direct links to new and established Shiite armed groups, including designated terrorist organizations such as Kataib Hezbollah. Mapping and potentially classifying these organizations will require creative methods to account for their sharing of members, equipment, ideological goals, and command structures. In particular, if new organizations or front groups are ever designated as Foreign Terrorist Organizations, their overlapping nature must be addressed. Assessments of these organizations, the threats they pose to U.S. and regional security, and their activities should be intrinsically linked in any future U.S. negotiations with Iran and regional allies. • interdiction of online recruitment. By focusing on high-tech platforms, the United States can potentially disrupt the continuing Internet recruitment techniques run by designated terrorist groups and unregistered militias. The urgency of such an effort is underlined by the high likelihood of additional Western citizens being either recruited by militias or used for fundraising purposes. Denying militias freedom of operation in the social media space could be a cost-effective and productive step toward reducing their general clout. Since social media recruitment is now being expanded to attract fighters throughout the Middle East, South Asia, and the West, the United States must work closely with international partners to counter and monitor these efforts. • counternarratives. As the United States steps up efforts against ISIS, it should be simultaneously concerned about the proliferation of official and semiofficial narratives being cast by Shiite militias. Many
POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS n 57 such narratives are not only anti-U.S. in nature but also blame the United States for ISIS’s growth. Since Iraqi Shiites are increasingly backing militias they feel are defending their interests against ISIS, a growth in local receptivity to these themes could have long-term detrimental effects on U.S. policy regarding Iraq’s Shiite population and Shiite populations in other states. • reaffirm commitments. The United States must reaffirm its commitment to a multisectarian Iraq. Opposing efforts to promote leaders from highly sectarian Shiite-militia-cum-political-parties, especially Iranian proxy groups, will help achieve these ends. Furthermore, as Washington and its partners increase their support to the moderate Syrian opposition, they will quickly see that the range of extremist foes expands beyond ISIS and JN. Indeed, Shiite militant groups will also counter U.S. strategy for Syria and Iraq, a reality that should be factored in to any support packages outlined for vetted rebel groups. Shiite militias, their fronts, and associated political groups have thus far proven to be effective agents in projecting Iranian ideology and power throughout the region. It is only a matter of time before their focus shifts from dealing with nonstate Sunni foes in Syria and Iraq to possibly disrupting U.S. or regional allies’ interests in the Middle East and globally.
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THE SHIITE JIHAD IN SYRIA AND ITS R
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POLICY FOCUS 138 THE SHIITE JIHAD I
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C ONTENTS Acronyms | iv 1 Introduct
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1 Introduction THE SYRIAN CIVIL WAR
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2 The Narrative of Jihad SINCE THE
Page 11 and 12: THE NARRATIVE OF JIHAD n 5 a useful
Page 13 and 14: THE NARRATIVE OF JIHAD n 7 An Open
Page 15 and 16: THE NARRATIVE OF JIHAD n 9 al-Amin,
Page 17 and 18: THE NARRATIVE OF JIHAD n 11 In a Fe
Page 19 and 20: 3 Call to Jihad: Clerical Views of
Page 21 and 22: CALL TO JIHAD n 15 During his publi
Page 23 and 24: CALL TO JIHAD n 17 direct Iranian m
Page 25 and 26: CALL TO JIHAD n 19 al-Sadr contradi
Page 27 and 28: 4 Building an Army for Zainab REPRE
Page 29 and 30: BUILDING AN ARMY FOR ZAINAB n 23 mi
Page 31 and 32: BUILDING AN ARMY FOR ZAINAB n 25 re
Page 33 and 34: BUILDING AN ARMY FOR ZAINAB n 27 Re
Page 35 and 36: BUILDING AN ARMY FOR ZAINAB n 29 me
Page 37 and 38: BUILDING AN ARMY FOR ZAINAB n 31 tr
Page 39 and 40: BUILDING AN ARMY FOR ZAINAB n 33 PH
Page 41 and 42: BUILDING AN ARMY FOR ZAINAB n 35 Th
Page 43 and 44: 5 The Web of Multiplying Shiite Isl
Page 45 and 46: MULTIPLYING SHIITE ISLAMIST MILITIA
Page 55 and 56: JOINING OF FRONTS n 49 In Iraq, att
Page 57 and 58: JOINING OF FRONTS n 51 members. 262
Page 59 and 60: JOINING OF FRONTS n 53 Darraji’s
Page 61: 7 Policy Recommendations AS THE UNI
Page 65 and 66: NOTES AND SOURCES n 59 Revolutionar
Page 67 and 68: NOTES AND SOURCES n 61 33. Hassan H
Page 69 and 70: NOTES AND SOURCES n 63 June 15, 200
Page 71 and 72: NOTES AND SOURCES n 65 79. Ibid. 80
Page 73 and 74: NOTES AND SOURCES n 67 110. “Sama
Page 75 and 76: NOTES AND SOURCES n 69 137. Mamuri
Page 77 and 78: NOTES AND SOURCES n 71 172. May 16,
Page 79 and 80: NOTES AND SOURCES n 73 205. Michael
Page 81 and 82: NOTES AND SOURCES n 75 233. Jacob Z
Page 83 and 84: NOTES AND SOURCES n 77 com/63568782
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Page 87 and 88: BOARD OF DIRECTORS President Richar
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THE SHIITE JIHAD IN SYRIA AND ITS REGIONAL EFFECTS

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