Understanding Global Issues: Iraq and the West

Iraq and the West The politics of confrontation Understanding Global Issues THE FACTS BEHIND THE NEWS Introduction Iraq and the West: The politics of confrontation Introduction hen Iraq invaded Kuwait in the suffering that US policy has unde- Western involvement in a central WAugust 1990, an intense struggle niably caused in Iraq, as a consequence position. With the second largest began between Iraq and the United of on-going US bombing in the ‘no-fly proven oil reserves in the world, Iraq States that continues to this day. The zones’ and of economic sanctions, in has engaged the intense interest of US President at the time, George Bush, order to rally its people around their Western policy-makers. The borders denounced the Iraqi leader, Saddam leader in the face of external enemies. that Britain drew for the new nation Hussein, as a second Hitler, and urged placed ethnic minorities within Iraq, The effects of US policy on Iraqi civil- primarily the Kurds, who did not accept Iraq’ s military and people to rise up ians since 1991 have also been a factor rule from Baghdad, and were accus- against him. Yet even though the US- in dissolving the coalition that the US tomed to living as an autonomous led force had managed to drive Iraq’s had built up for the Gulf War. Thirty- community. Britain recruited the first army out of Kuwait by February 1991, four different countries from all parts of rulers of the new nation from the Saddam Hussein surprised the world the world had contributed military minority of the population who were by holding onto power. personnel and facilities to the defence Arab by ethnicity and were from the Since then, the US has applied a policy of Kuwait. Many of those countries, Sunni sect of Islam. To maintain including all Iraq’s fellow Arab states, of ‘containment’ to Iraq, officially on control over the diverse population, a have now voiced opposition to the the grounds that it suspects Iraq of majority of whom are from the Shi’a continuation of sanctions and the no-fly developing non-conventional weapons. sect of Islam, an extensive military was zones, and counsel strongly against Iraq made substantial use of chemical built up using the revenues from oil further attacks on Iraq. The UK is the weapons in its war against Iran (1980- sales. Rebellions against the central only country likely to commit a sizeable 88), and United Nations efforts to authorities have always been put down force to aid US efforts to oust the Iraqi destroy its chemical and biological ruthlessly. Saddam Hussein took levels regime. Despite widespread acknow- weapons production facilities have had of cruelty to new extremes with his ledgement of the brutality of Iraq’s mixed results. Since 1991, the US has crushing of dissident populations in the leaders, a more substantial coalition conducted repeated military raids late 1980s and in the aftermath of the has now gathered to oppose military against Iraq, and has declared that Gulf War, but massacres of insurgent action rather than to participate in it. Iraqi planes will be shot down if they minorities have occurred since the enter the ‘no-fly zones’ that cover about To understand how a relationship of creation of modern Iraq. 60% of the country. It has upheld confrontation has developed between Britain, and later the USA, retained economic sanctions*, which have been a Iraq and the West, and why democracy considerable control over Iraq until the major factor in bringing poverty and has not developed in the country, both popular nationalist revolution of 1958, international isolation to a once the long and the short histories of Iraq and have tried either to displace or to prosperous and cosmopolitan people. need to be appreciated. The long history win over Iraqi governments since that President George W. Bush, following in is that of one of the oldest urban civili- date. Throughout the 1980s, Iraq was his father’s footsteps, has announced sations, which developed many of the thought of as a bulwark against the that Saddam Hussein must be forced ideas and techniques that have since radical Islamic doctrine preached by from power, and has indicated that he become central to modern life across the new Iranian government, and is willing to use military means to the world. Many of the greatest received large-scale support from the achieve this objective. historical empires have been based in US, UK and USSR, and pro-Western Sumer, Babylon, Assyria, Akkadia and Despite all these measures, the Iraqi states in the Middle East for its war Baghdad, all within the borders of leader’ s grip on power has rarely against Iran. Whilst Saddam Hussein modern Iraq. The deep roots of Iraq’s looked stronger. After years of syste- remains in power in Baghdad, it is people, and their awareness of their matic repression, there remain few clear that the West will not provide own historical role, have been used to people inside Iraq willing to challenge such support again. What is much less engender national pride and a sense of him openly. The Iraqi people are clear, however, is how a stable new the illegitimacy of Western attempts to without the freedom to choose their government could be created in Iraq transform their communal life. own leaders through the ballot box, and that does not come into confrontation have no legitimate channels to express Iraq’ s short history – from the creation with the West. their political opinions. In addition, the of the modern state under British rule Iraqi regime has been able to point to after the First World War – has * See notes on page 16 Understanding Global Issues Iraq and the West: The politics of confrontation The Cradle of Civilisation Cradle of Civilisation Iraq has an immensely rich history: many of the essential features of civilisation – agriculture, walled cities and writing – first emerged in Mesopotamia. The beginnings of empire n Sumer, on the banks of the al-Khattab, the second caliph, Ilower Euphrates, the first city- captured most of Mesopotamia by Two major rivers, the Tigris and states were built some 5000 years 638 AD, and the region became a the Euphrates, flow through Iraq ago. Eridu is thought to have been major centre of the new Islamic and irrigate its central plain. In the oldest, but two other Sumerian empire. The early caliphs founded ancient times the fertile region cities have become more famous. the cities of Basra and Kufa as which lies along and between Uruk is the site of the oldest writing garrison towns. When Ali, the them was called Mesopotamia, ever found, and the home of the Prophet’s son-in-law, became the “the land between the rivers”. legendary king Gilgamesh. Ur was fourth caliph, he made his capital at Here archaeology has uncovered the original home of the great Bib- Kufa. Another branch of the the evidence of seasonal crop lical figure Abraham, whose journey Prophet’s family based in Iraq went growing, animal rearing and to the Holy Land is the beginning of on to establish the Abbasid empire, fortified settlements dating back the historical narrative of Judaism, which at its height in the 9th to between 3500 and 3000 BC. Islam and Christianity. century stretched from Libya deep The Sumerians provided many of the into central Asia. A new city of religious, art and architectural forms Baghdad was created as its capital found in two later empires. For more in 762 AD. Baghdad stood at the than 400 years from the 16th heart of a network of overland trade century BC, Mesopotamia was ruled routes, and became not only an by a dynasty based at Babylon, economic but also an intellectual south of modern Baghdad. Then the centre of the Muslim world. rulers of Assyria, on the Tigris river In 1258 Baghdad was sacked by the in Upper Mesopotamia, came to Mongols. Al-Musta’sim, the last Under Assyrian rule, the massive city dominate the region. Later Meso- caliph to be recognised throughout walls and celebrated “hanging gardens” potamia came under a succession of were created at Babylon, and the first the Islamic world, was killed, Persian and Macedonian rulers until organised library was constructed at together with an estimated 800,000 Nineveh. The period from 612 BC to the advent of Islam in the 7th inhabitants. Following prolonged 538 BC, after Babylonian rule was re- century. established, saw many of the finest wars throughout the region, in 1534 developments of the ancient world, After the Prophet Muhammad’s Baghdad fell to Turkish Ottoman* from astronomy and mathematics to death, the Muslim community was rule and into obscurity. It was far architecture and irrigation. led by a series of caliphs: Umar ibn from the centre of political power, and was replaced on the trade routes to the East by the newly explored sea passages. In the early 20th century, as opposition to Ottoman rule spread throughout the Arab world, many prominent Iraqis joined in the ‘Arab revolt’. This was the product of an alliance with Britain, which had promised that the Arab lands would be liberated from the Ottoman Empire if its leaders supported the Allied cause in the First World War. The Arab participants in the revolt had not imagined that Britain had Courtesy of IraqCD.com other plans for the region. Understanding Global Issues 1 IThe Making of Iraq raq and the West: The politics of confrontation The Making of Iraq Britain invaded Mesopotamia early in World War I in order to secure its route through the Middle East to India.

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