Revolt on the Tigris: The Al-Sadr Uprising and the Governing of Iraq

by Mark Etherington

A former paratrooper in the British Army with extensive experience of conflict and post-conflict management in the countries of former Yugoslavia, Mark Etherington had just completed an M.Phil. in international relations at Cambridge University in 2003 when the British Foreign Office asked him to assume the governorship of Wasit Province in southern Iraq on behalf of the Coalition Provisional Authority or CPA. Etherington established a small team in the provincial capital of al-Kut on the banks of the Tigris in order to begin the process of reconstruction―both political and physical―of a province with a predominantly Shi'ia population of 900,000 and a long border with Iran. The province was plagued by poverty and beset by social paralysis. A demoralized and often corrupt police force was incapable of imposing the rule of law. Ba'ath party functionaries had been purged, local municipal authority was weak, and basic services were lacking. More challenging still was an escalating armed insurgency by the followers of Moqtada al-Sadr that would culminate in a sixteen-hour firefight for control over the CPA's base in Kut. This gritty and compelling firsthand account of post-conflict Iraq describes the turmoil visited on the country by outside intervention and the difficulties faced by the Coalition in fashioning a new political and civil apparatus.

Genres: History

272 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2005

Reviews

[Daniel Winnick · Rating 4 out of 5]

A surprisingly introspective, somewhat plodding account of the author’s time serving (briefly) as Governorate Coordinator of Wasit Province for the CPA. He is rightfully critical of many of the parties involved, Brits and sub-contractors in particular, and he observes many cultural impediments to the CPA’s mission which with a less-nuanced tone might come off as insensitive—but which actually illustrate just how difficult it was for Westerners, however well-meaning, to encourage/impose on Iraqis a totally new democratic governance model in a matter of months. A valuable addition to Iraq War (2003) history, and a helpful supplement to the American media’s portrayal of postwar Iraq largely in military terms.

[Dennis P Moore · Rating 2 out of 5]

5.

[Mark Uberuaga · Rating 3 out of 5]

Etherington, Mark. Revolt on the Tigris: The Al-Sadr Uprising and the Governing of Iraq. Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press, 2005.

Revolt on the Tigris is Mark Etherington's account of his time in Iraq with the Coalition Provincial Authority (CPA) as the Governate Coordinator of Wasit province. Etherington is a former British army paratrooper turned foreign service officer who gained experience in Northern Ireland and the Balkans. Revolt on the Tigris is focused acutely on Etherington's experiences in post invasion Iraq in 2003-2004. He argues that the reconstruction effort in Wasit was plagued by an ineffective Iraqi police force, the lack of Iraqi leadership, and the tension between the safety, tasks assigned, strategy and resources allocated to the undermanned CPA. Etherington describes how his difficulties where enhanced by the lack of a clear coalition strategy and desire of the Iraqi middle class to participate in governance. He demonstrates how the police were incapable of imposing the rule of law and how the CPA didn't have any law experts to establish an effective court system or police experts to train the local police. Etherington initiated a strategy to tackle the host of problems. He to assembled counsels, leveraged TV and radio media, undertook projects to employ locals and improve public works. The rise of the Sadr militia and eventual withdrawal and return of his team displayed how fringe and extremist groups were stifling the progress of reconstructing Iraq. From this experience, he concluded there was as much to be learned from what didn't happen during this time in Iraq as much as from what did happen, such as how the majority of the population failed to support the Al-Sadr uprising in al-Kut.

[Simon Akam]

Much other politics on Facebook this morning, understandably; finished this yesterday as part of research for my own book. All content aside, was very touched (and surprised) by the beauty of the prose here...