With Iraqi forces taking back swaths of territory from ISIS, what role will Shia militias play in the country's future? Michael Knights of the Washington Institute for Near East Policy runs down the tensions playing out between the militias and the central government. Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi and his allies are trying to reassert the authority of the state and limit Iranian influence by pushing to cut the budget for militias and thwart their ability to detain citizens and foreigners. But the leaders of Iranian-backed militias like Hadi al-Amiri and Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis are pushing to make their organizations a permanent arm of the state.
Washington Institute Near East Policy: http://www.washingtoninstitute.org/policy-analysis/view/iraqs-popular-demobilisation?utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=New%20
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