Radio War Nerd EP #622 — Iraqi Insurgency, Pt. 3: Early 2006, feat. Rob Ashlar (Patreon)

Guest: Rob AshlarRecorded: July 18, 2026

Researcher Rob Ashlar resumes his RWN series on the Iraqi insurgency, now moving into the eventful year 2006.

Subscribe to Rob Ashlar's substack. Follow Rob on Twitter here.Read Rob Ashlar's article "Monotheism and Struggle: The Story of Iraqi Insurgency, 2003-04" in Cosmonaut.

Further listening:-RWN #458 — Iraqi Insurgency, Pt 1: 2003-4-RWN #459 — Iraq Insurgency ,Pt 2: 2005

*Map of Anbar

*Key Acronyms & Names for this episode:-Abu Musab al-Zarqawi ("Zarqawi"): leader of JTJ (Jama'at al-Tawhid wa-l Jihad), then Al Qaeda in Iraq (AQI)-ISI: Islamic State in Iraq, formed in 2006 rooted in Zarqawi's AQI. First of the Islamic State (IS, ISIS, IS-KP etc) groups-AQI: Al Qaeda in Iraq, formed in 2004 by Zarqawi, folded into Islamic State in Iraq after Zarqawi's death-MSC - Mujahdeen Shura Council, political umbrella including Zarqawi's org, transition group to Islamic State-1920 Revolution Brigades - Moderate Islamist insurgent group

Total time: 1:51:17Direct link to this episode's mp3 here

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Buy & review John Dolan's new book, They Should Have Been Hanged: War Nerd Essays on the U.S. Civil War

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