Iraq preventing a new generation of conflict

Synopsis

An enduring epicenter of conflict and instability in the Middle East, Iraq has not only experienced domestic upheavals, but also generated threats to international peace and security for more than 25 years. Is an end to the violence, and the establishment of an enduring peace within a unified state, a realistic goal? How can it be achieved, and what may stand in its way?Addressing these questions'and arguing that a downward spiral of violence and possible state collapse can be avoided'the authors of Iraq: Preventing a New Generation of Conflict consider the sources of conflict in the country and outline the requirements for a successful peacebuilding enterprise.David M. Malone returned to the Canadian Foreign Service after serving for six years as president of the International Peace Academy (IPA) and is now Canada's high commissioner to India and nonresident ambassador to Nepal and Bhutan. His recent publications include The UN Security Council: From the Cold War to the 21st Century and The International Struggle over Iraq. Ben Rowswell, Canada's diplomatic representative in Iraq in 2003?2005, continues to serve in the Canadian Foreign Service and is also senior associate at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, DC. Markus E. Bouillon is head of the IPA's Middle East Program. Previously political adviser on the Middle East peace process at the UN, he is author of The Peace Business: Money and Power in the Palestine-Israel Conflict.Contents: Toward A New Generation of Conflict'the Editors. Iraq in Turmoil. State Collapse and the Rise of Identity Politics?T. Dodge. Iraq's Identity Crisis?P. Marr. Three Wars Later... Iraqi Living Conditions?J. Pedersen. Islamism, Nationalism, and Sectarianism?A. Sidahmed. Sunni Political Parties and the Political Process?R. Meijer. Shi'a Militias in Iraqi Politics?J. Cole. Kirkuk as a Peacebuilding Test Case?J. Hiltermann. Toward a Stable Peace. Forging an Inclusive and Enduring Social Contract?N. Haysom. Making Federalism Work?D. Cameron. Consociational vs. Integrative Federalism?J. McGarry. Federalizing Natural Resources?B. O?Leary. US Policy and Diplomacy?J. Dobbins. Securing Iraq: The Mismatch of Demand and Supply?N. Bensahel. Protection of Civilians in Iraq?P. Gassmann. Iraq's Arab Neighbors?J. Alterman. Dilemmas of Donor Assistance?M. Bell. Strategic Coordination for International Engagement?B. Jones. Conclusion. Preventing a New Generation of Conflict'the Editors.