The Iraq War Scorecard, version 1.0.

[TheWraith]

I've been thinking, it's next to impossible these days to keep up with what's going on in Iraq without a scorecard. So I decided to put one together. This is preliminary, of course, but I'm going to try to do a breakdown of the major groups and individuals involved, and some analysis of them. I've basically divided the Sunnis into two main categories because there are too many small groups to keep track of, even if I knew about all of them, but they basically fall into two main categories.


Paramilitary wing: Jaysh Al-Mahdi, a.k.a. Mahdi Army, a.k.a. Army of the Prophet
Political wing: National Independent Cadres and Elites
Ethnic makeup: Shiite
Leader: Cleric Moqtada Al-Sadr
Primary goal(s): Extreme Sharia-based Shiite theocracy with strong nationalistic overtones
Currently controls: Sadr City, parts of Basra, Najaf, Kut, southern areas
Supported by: Young, poor, marginalized sections of Shiite populace
Disposition to U.S.: Hostile but currently nonviolent


Paramilitary wing: Dawa Islamic Party
Political wing: Dawa Islamic Party
Ethnic makeup: Shiite
Leader: Ibrahim Al-Jaafari
Primary goal(s): Shiite theocracy, with likely subservience to Iran
Currently controls: Parts of occupation government; extensive bribe network
Supported by: Iran
Disposition to U.S.: Mixed


Paramilitary wing: Badr Brigade
Political wing: Supreme Council for Islamic Revolution in Iraq, a.k.a. SCIRI
Ethnic makeup: Shiite
Leader: Ayatollah Khomeini
Primary goal(s): Shiite theocracy as Iranian vassal state
Currently controls: Parts of southern provinces
Supported by: Iran
Disposition to U.S.: Active combat


Paramilitary wing: Peshmerga fighters
Political wing: Patriotic Union of Kurdistan
Ethnic makeup: Kurdish
Leader: J Talabani
Primary goal(s): Establishment of a Kurdish state in northern Iraq, southern Turkey, and parts of Iran.
Currently controls: Northern Iraq, parts of Kirkuk
Supported by: Kurdish population, U.S., Turkey, Israel, Iran, Saudi Arabia, others
Disposition to U.S.: Patient


Paramilitary wing: Peshmerga fighters
Political wing: Kurdistan Democratic Party
Ethnic makeup: Kurdish
Leader: M Barzani
Primary goal(s): Establishment of a Kurdish state in northern Iraq, southern Turkey, and parts of Iran.
Currently controls: Northern Iraq, parts of Kirkuk
Supported by: Kurdish population, U.S., Turkey, Israel, Iran, Saudi Arabia, others
Disposition to U.S.: Patient


Paramilitary wing: Sunni Arab nationalist forces -- 1920 Revolution Brigades, Iraqi National Islamic Resistance, former Fedayeen Saddam
Political wing: Misc
Ethnic makeup: Primarily Sunni
Leader: Misc
Primary goal(s): Overthrow of occupation and establishment of Arab nationalist government
Currently controls: Parts of western Iraq, Fallujah, Ramadi, Tikrit, parts of Baghdad
Supported by: Ex-military, left wing, and secular adherents
Disposition to U.S.: Active combat


Paramilitary wing: Sunni Arab religious forces -- Islamic Army in Iraq, Islamic Resistance Movement, Ansar al-Islam, Swords of Righteousness Brigade
Political wing: Misc
Ethnic makeup: Primarily Sunni, some Shiite
Leader: None known
Primary goal(s): Sunni theocracy with nationalistic overtones
Currently controls: Parts of Fallujah, Ramadi, southern Iraq
Supported by: Right wing, religious adherents
Disposition to U.S.: Active combat