ICOS has maintained an operational base in the southern provinces of
Afghanistan since 2004. Initially aimed at providing a firsthand view of the burgeoning
opium trade, this local presence in Kandahar and Helmand has enabled us to develop an
expertise in many of the issues associated with poppy cultivation.
A particular area of focus has been the resurgence of the Taliban, the movement’s
increasing capacity to disrupt security around the country, and international responses to
that threat. As the revitalised Taliban has entrenched itself, so the capacity of NATO forces
to prevent the contagion from spreading has been increasingly challenged, and the
inability of the international community to respond adequately to that resurgence exposed.
Building upon this foundation, ICOS broadened its examination of other key
theatres within the War on Terror, launching a research platform in Somalia – the first
outside of Afghanistan – in March 2008.
On the ground research in May 2008 a third conflict zone –
Iraq – led to this report, and
prompted ICOS to consider an alternative approach to global security issues.
In this report we offer a Situation Report (SITREP) on Iraq, as well as the initial findings
from a series of interviews conducted in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Somalia, and an
examination of what we believe the study of the three conflicts tells us about current
global security policy.
Click here to download the full report (7.8 MB, PDF)