Opinions
In an Article, Harith Hasan Examines the PMF’s Resemblance to the IRGC!
1- Dr Harith Hasan wrote an article examining what he sees as the most dangerous test facing the Popular Mobilization Forces in Iraq since their formation, as the current war has pushed the factions within them into a more explicit role within Iran’s regional strategy. He argues that the danger lies not only in battlefield developments, but also in the structural crisis governing the PMF’s relationship with the Iraqi state and with the factions operating under its umbrella.
2- The article explains that the formula which governed relations between the Iraqi government, the PMF, and the factions over recent years rested on a fragile balance. The state provided institutional cover for the PMF as part of the official security apparatus, while the factions retained broad room to operate beyond full government control. In return, those factions kept escalation with the United States within a manageable range, preventing a full-scale confrontation. According to the author, that balance is no longer sustainable after the latest war.
3- Dr Harith Hasan argues that the current conflict has weakened the line that once separated the PMF as a formal institution from the armed factions tied to Iran ideologically and politically. As the confrontation widened, it became harder for the United States and Israel to distinguish between the two, while the Iraqi government no longer appeared capable of convincing external actors that it could restrain these groups or stop them from becoming part of a broader regional strategy.
