These are the most relevant milestones that explain the path to chaos in this oil-rich Arab country, the cradle of universal civilization, but it is only now, twenty years later, that a way out is beginning to emerge.
FIRST GOLF WAR
No event in Iraq can be explained without the unfortunate invasion of neighboring Kuwait by Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein (1979-2003) and what became known as the First Gulf War (1990-1991).
A United Nations-sanctioned, US-led coalition response of 34 countries (“Desert Storm”) defeated Iraqi forces after nearly a decade of warfare against Iran. Kuwait was liberated within weeks.
This war, televised for the first time, left Western tanks at the gates of Baghdad and is one step away from overthrowing the tyrant, who until a few years ago was seen as the American man in the region.
Saddam’s regime remained in power amid severe restrictions, international sanctions, arms controls and the imposition of sweeping exclusion zones.
Saddam, however, continued to ruthlessly oppress his people.
Iraq, with the support of the West, had to destroy the weapons of mass destruction (chemical and biological) that it used against Iran (1980-1988) and stop its own people and its programs in this field.
GREAT DESTRUCTION
In February 2003, Iraq no longer had weapons of mass destruction.
This did not stop the George W. Bush administration and its allies — including Spain — from accusing the UN of Saddam concealing an arsenal of banned weapons to justify another invasion.
The September 11, 2001, attacks in New York were also used as justification for the attack, even though Saddam had no ties to al-Qaeda.
The Arab country was invaded years later, as they realized, with exaggerated intelligence reports and completely false statements, despite the overwhelming reaction of the world’s public opinion and the protests of various international organizations that actively and passively denounced the existence of these weapons denied.
Without these pretexts, it was never clear what the purpose of invading an oil-rich country was, and its stability later turned out to be central to peace throughout the region.
CONQUER AND REVOLUTION
On March 20, 2003, Western forces attacked Iraq with overwhelming odds by land, sea and air.
Saddam Hussein and his closest allies went into hiding when the Americans invaded Baghdad to dismantle Iraq’s state structures and install a temporary occupation government.
The violence then wiped out tens of thousands of Iraqi civilians and the destruction of Saddam’s army, which descended into chaos and whose cadres subsequently fueled the insurgency.
The conquest was just the beginning of a long and low-intensity war between the invaders and armed groups made up of pro-Saddam, ex-servicemen, former government officials, jihadists, Shiite militias and civilians angry at the repression.
INSTABILITY
Saddam was captured in December 2003. In 2006, he would end his days by hanging, convicted of crimes against humanity.
His arrest and death, along with other key officials in his regime, did not end the violence.
The fall of Saddam brought the explosive political reality of Iraq to the world and created pros and cons, violently re-emerging deep and serious religious divisions (Shia and Sunni) and ethnic divisions (Arabs, Kurds, Syrians or Yazidis). get up. The scenario of the invading troops crushing them with blood and fire.
Extremism during the occupation, as exemplified by the torture of US soldiers in Abu Grahib prison, exposed the failures of the conquerors’ actions and plans to deal with Iraq’s “post-Saddam” situation.
Beginning in 2006, the US installed a new democratically elected government in Iraq; By the paradox that the majority of the Shiite population, once left alone, elects politicians from this sect of Islam, closely associated with Iran, who are privileged Sunnis. the minority alienated Saddam and became accustomed to power.
At the end of 2011, the Americans left Iraq.
DEPARTMENT OF VIOLENCE
Rather than symbolizing peace, the US departure led to an increase in sectarian violence, which was reflected in the rise of the Islamic State (IS).
The radical Islamic terror group fed on Sunni anger and civil servants and officers who were fired for their ties to Saddam Hussein’s regime.
In 2014, ISIS invaded the reality of Iraq with a violence that stunned the entire world.
The collapse of the new Iraqi army against ISIS and the terror and brutality they captured in the north of the country forced the US to act again, and this fact intervened in the civil war to help the Baghdad government.
The war only ended in 2018 with the destruction of the last ISIS strongholds in the country.
While Iraqis are reporting relative calm for the first time in decades, sectarian fragmentation persists, hampering stable government formation and democratic development.
Source: Ultimahora
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Karen Clayton is a seasoned journalist and author at The Nation Update, with a focus on world news and current events. She has a background in international relations, which gives her a deep understanding of the political, economic and social factors that shape the global landscape. She writes about a wide range of topics, including conflicts, political upheavals, and economic trends, as well as humanitarian crisis and human rights issues.
