The Scientific Review of the Iraqi Counter Terrorism Service

This study focuses on the fundamental shift in the strategic doctrine of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) amid the Russian-Ukrainian war that erupted in 2022. NATO has moved from traditional deterrence policies to a comprehensive, multidimensional confrontation with Russia, which was designated as the greatest threat to allied security according to the Madrid Summit 2022. The research examines the causes of this transformation, its impact on European and international security structures, and the challenges NATO faces in a complex and evolving security environment. Employing an analytical approach that integrates both theoretical and practical perspectives, the study emphasizes the analysis of official documents and the alliance’s military and political developments to provide an in-depth understanding of NATO’s future role in the international security order

Terrorism and corruption are opposite sides of the same coin; both undermine the stability of societies and hinder development. Therefore, combating corruption and promoting integrity and transparency are essential steps in adressing the challenges that impede societal progress, and in eliminating the factors that destabilize society. Given the significant negative impact of corruption, it is ever essential to raise public awareness of the risks of such phenomenon to combat it and curb its spread. Corruption is more dangerous than terrorism. While terrorism compels the state to mobilize its resources to confront it; corruption undermines these resources from the outset. Palpably, there is a close link between corruption and terrorism, as corruption is a major factor in fueling grievances, undermining state authority, and the financing of terrorism. Recent studies conducted between 2024 and 2025 confirm that high levels of corruption directly lead to increased terrorist activity. This study investigates whether combating corruption can help reduce terrorism and promote sustainable security. It analyzes the relationship between corruption, terrorism, and sustainable security, and explores strategies for achieving sustainable security by addressing terrorism through anti-corruption efforts;
- Provides an analysis on the concepts of corruption and terrorism.
-Examines the connection between corruption, terrorism, and sustainable security.
- Explores methods for attaining sustainable security by tackling terrorism through anti-corruption measures.

Interpol contributes to maintaining international security to some extent، according to the limits and powers set for this organization in accordance with its charter. However، the work it carries out is very large، as it confronts organized crimes such as crimes of: (international terrorism، money laundering، human trafficking، and drug crimes)، and the receipt and extradition of criminals. These crimes are mostly by nature cross-border، so they require high-level international coordination between countries. Accordingly، the International Criminal Police Organization has undertaken this dangerous task، because these crimes affect the lives of individuals in the various regions in which they reside. Therefore، this organization works، through its agencies، with a set of tools to achieve its goals، such as holding international conferences and issuing various international bulletins، in addition to the training and workshops it holds for police agencies affiliated with countries، the international pursuit and follow-up of wanted criminals، and the formation of a special system for exchanging information between these agencies affiliated with the International Criminal Police Organization. It seems that the latter’s role in international security is increasing in the future in the field of combating international criminal crimes، due to the multiplicity and complexity of these crimes، as a result of the international entanglement and interconnection created by globalization in its various economic aspects. Political، security and cultural.

Russia is considered one of the countries that have faced the most severe manifestations of violence and extremism related to terrorism in the North Caucasus region, due to ethnic and religious diversity and the variety of allegiances and ideologies, including radical Islam. This study focuses on everything related to terrorism and the psychological and material damages it inflicts on society, as well as its serious implications for public security and peace, and the geopolitical risks in the Caucasus region, seen as Russia's soft underbelly. It also highlights the region's political, geographical, economic, social, and religious importance, and the Russian strategy to combat terrorism from the First Chechen War until 2025, monitoring developments, events, terrorist activities, and security threats at both local and federal levels, while considering the future of terrorism in this challenging and complex region and the degree of Russia's success in its various policies to eradicate or neutralize terrorism and the potential dangers that may threaten the region in the near future.

This research addresses the topic of maritime boundary delimitation from two complementary perspectives: legal and political, through a case study of the dispute between Lebanon and Israel, which serves as a representative model of the complexities inherent in such disputes. In the theoretical section, the legal framework for maritime boundary delimitation as outlined in the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (1982) is discussed, with a focus on key concepts such as the baseline, exclusive economic zone, and internationally recognized delimitation mechanisms, particularly the dominant principles of the median line and equity.
In the practical section, the study analyzes the practical course of the maritime dispute between Lebanon and Israel, starting from the disagreement over the delineation of the maritime boundary between Line 23 and Line 29, leading up to the delimitation agreement brokered by the United States in 2022, which adopted Line 23, contrary to official Lebanese technical studies that had relied on Line 29 based on precise geographical and legal data. The research also examines the political factors that influenced the negotiation process and the role of both internal and external parties in shaping the outcomes of the agreement.
The research concludes that maritime delimitation cannot be separated from political contexts, which necessitates the unification of the Lebanese national vision and the establishment of a clear legal framework. It recommends enhancing negotiating capacities and resorting to international legal means to protect Lebanon's maritime rights from the perspective of the rule of law and national interests.

Unfortunately, we can say that children are the first victims of terrorist armed groups. The first thing they lose is their childhood and innocence, and they become a tool of violence for extremist and terrorist groups. The organization believes that with the passage of time, when generations change and other generations are raised within this stifling extremist ideology, they will be blindly obedient to it. This group used a somewhat similar method of education among extremists in other parts of the world, but with somewhat modified tactics. It confiscated the educational institution and injected its violent extremist ideology into it using texts rich in military symbolism that incite violence and work to frame the concepts upon which it is based. It also used religious texts from the Holy Quran and the Prophet’s hadiths in a selective manner, removing them from their true context to employ them to justify the bloody violence and violent extremism they practice, the goal of which is to spread terror and fear in the souls of the recipients, in preparation for controlling them, either through persuasion or submission.
International policies have produced terrorist groups, including ISIS. Children are systematically taught its extremist ideology in areas controlled by the organization. Its goal is to bring them closer together and get to know each other in the future. Secondly, the organization's leaders search for talented children to include them in one of the training camps designated for the "Cubs of the Caliphate" group, making them subordinate members with blind obedience to it and spreading terrorist acts wherever they are found, known as "lone wolves." The educational system of ISIS trains, but it does not educate or discipline them. Rather, it makes them behave in accordance with the orders it sets.

This study aims to analyze the role of political elites in shaping political modernity in Britain, through an analytical examination of Whitehall institutions as the central executive framework of the state. Moving beyond theoretical and conceptual approaches, the research focuses on the actual mechanisms through which elites exert influence within the state's political and administrative structures—particularly in shaping public policy and steering major political transformations. The study also seeks to clarify the interactive relationship between political elites and the British bureaucracy, exploring whether institutions maintain independence or operate under elite dominance, using contemporary case studies from the past three decades of British governance.

Generative artificial intelligence serves as a powerful tool for innovation, design, and excellence, breaking down traditional barriers and methods. It offers numerous benefits across all aspects of life, embodying the positive aspect of the current technological revolution. However, its benefits haven't been exclusive to civilized societies and their members; instead, they've also been exploited by extremist groups to launch attacks and disseminate their ideologies and extreme thoughts, thereby contributing to the emergence of complex security challenges that are difficult to tackle due to their sophisticated use of generative artificial intelligence.

The Five Eyes Alliance is a global intelligence network consisting of the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. Its roots date back to the post-World War II era, and it initially worked to coordinate the exchange of intelligence, particularly signals intelligence (SIGINT). It has evolved into one of the most important and oldest global intelligence alliances. Its missions and objectives have evolved from an alliance confronting Cold War threats and challenges to its members into a more comprehensive intelligence system that keeps pace with developments and expands its missions and tools. It works to monitor communications networks and the internet, combat terrorist activities, enhance cybersecurity, and combat various organized crimes.
The Five Eyes Alliance operates in a complex international environment and is affected by the internal political changes and transformations of its member states. This has provided it with numerous opportunities that contribute to its cohesion and sustainability. However, this environment has also created numerous challenges that hinder the alliance's work and missions, all of which are compounded by numerous challenges. Other factors and variables will, in one way or another, influence the future of the Five Eyes Alliance and determine its continuation or failure.

Over the past two decades, Iraq has faced worsening environmental and climate challenges, which have become a growing threat to its national security. These challenges manifest in multiple forms, most notably: declining rainfall, severe drought, water scarcity, desertification, and the degradation of agricultural land, along with rising temperatures at rates exceeding the global average. These climatic phenomena negatively impact vital sectors, such as food and water security, and economic and social stability, weakening the state's ability to maintain its internal stability and the unity of its social fabric.
This research seeks to analyze the interconnected dimensions of climate change and Iraqi national security through a multidisciplinary scientific approach based on climate data, official reports, and theoretical models of environmental security. The research focuses on identifying the most prominent challenges hindering the Iraqi state's response to these risks, including a weak institutional structure, the absence of strategic environmental planning, and the declining effectiveness of public policies in managing natural resources. The research also explores the opportunities inherent in adopting a new model for climate security, based on the integration of environmental, developmental, and security dimensions, and enhancing Iraq's ability to adapt to climate change. These opportunities include investing in the green economy, developing water infrastructure, activating regional and international partnerships, and building early warning systems for environmental disasters. The research concludes that addressing climate risks as a threat to national security is no longer an option, but rather a national necessity, requiring the restructuring of relevant policies and institutions and the building of state and societal capacities to respond effectively and resiliently to accelerating climate change

This study provides an in-depth analytical reading of the trajectory of economic diplomacy between Iraq and Saudi Arabia since the post-2017 rapprochement. It focuses on the interaction between land–sea connectivity projects in both countries and their influence on the balance of logistical power in the Gulf region. The research examines Iraq’s Development Road project and the Grand Faw Port as an ambitious axis for repositioning Iraq within Asia–Europe trade networks, contrasted with Saudi Arabia’s Economic Corridor, which is anchored in Red Sea ports and Vision 2030. The analysis reveals an economic landscape where elements of competition intersect with opportunities for integration, particularly in the domains of ports, energy, investment, and infrastructure. The study discsses mechanisms for enhancing bilateral partnership through economic diplomacy, including electrical interconnection, Saudi investments, and the potential for aligning logistical routes within a unified regional framework. It concludes that the future of bilateral relations hinges on managing intertwined interests, advancing Iraq’s infrastructure, and strengthening strategic dialogue to foster an integrated environment that promotes regional stability and development.

The use of force in international relations represents one of the most sensitive and complex issues in public international law, due to its direct interaction with the principles of sovereignty, collective security, and the legitimacy of state behavior. The United Nations Charter reshaped the foundations of the international system by establishing a comprehensive prohibition on the use of force between states, while simultaneously outlining narrowly defined exceptions that balance the requirements of global peace with the necessity of protecting states from armed attacks. This study traces the historical evolution of the concept of force, and then analyzes the legal framework governing the lawful use of force, including collective security mechanisms, peacekeeping operations, the inherent right of self-defense, and the right of peoples to self-determination. The research also examines the unlawful use of force through a detailed analysis of the crime of aggression and its legal elements under UN General Assembly Resolution 3314 and the 1998 Rome Statute. The study aims to clarify the legal pathways that delineate the scope of permissible exceptions to the prohibition on force, while highlighting the practical challenges facing the international community in addressing aggression and unlawful military interventions. The research concludes that strengthening international legality requires the development of collective security mechanisms, the modernization of force-regulation norms, and the reinforcement of state sovereignty as a cornerstone of international stability.

Iraq has confronted a wide spectrum of challenges that have affected national security through intertwined security, political, economic, and social patterns. These challenges manifested at levels of intensity and impact that generated profound risks and produced escalating forms of violence. They predominantly centered on the security and military domains, in addition to other categories of threats with significant implications. The reclassification of threats facing Iraqi security contributes to clarifying their nature and operational dynamics, especially since the Iraqi Counter-Terrorism Service bears primary responsibility for examining and understanding these threats, discerning how adversaries design and employ them, and analyzing their structural patterns starting from their fundamental characteristics.
The strategic environment surrounding Iraq from the period under study to the present reflects notable transformations that have amplified the ability of adversaries to employ non-traditional strategies and unexpected threats, an evolution that requires comprehensive analytical approaches and adaptive national security responses.