Iraq: Shallow Roots as a Nation? (Essay Sample)

Iraq
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Hauss and Haussman (2013), in their book titled the Comparative politics: Domestic responses to global challenges, claim that Iraq has had some major issues in relation to their boundaries which are artificial and the fact that ethnicity is rife. This owes to the fact that, like its neighbors, Turkey, Syria and Iran, their boundaries were designed by the British and French colonies. Ideally, these colonies used to divide up the areas for the ability to rule over them (Hauss & Haussman, 2013). This is an element that is easily illustrated by similar areas such as Darfur at the boarder of Chad and Sudan. Ideally, this would also explain why these areas have experienced so much violence in the last several decades. Religious ideologies between the Sunnis and the Shiites have also played central role to the instability that dates back to the 7th century (MacFarquhar, 2006).
Ethnicity among the Arabs, Kurds and Turks has remained at the top of the most influential elements of the instability in Iraq. Much of the disputes that have erupted between the three ethnic groups have been founded on control of oil rich areas. The Kurds have had bitter rivalry with the other two owing to the fact that it is a minority. As such, most of the demands that the Kurds present, have been taken up as a rebellion ending in bloody fights. With reference to the element of religion, the Kurds are predominantly Sunni while the Arabs are predominantly Shiites. At the same time, the Kurds’ political affiliations are dominated by subtle elements of secular nationalism (Hauss & Haussman, 2013).
Political and economic situation is impeded by the fact that the differences in the secular and Islamic ideologies create a level of tension that sparks fights. In the new constitution, the Kurds are given the de facto authority over the northern part of Iraq. This means that the Kurds although a minority can maintain their own armies and take advantage of any oil fields that are discovered, an aspect that has not settled well with the Shiite Arabs (Hauss & Haussman, 2013). Places like Kirkuk have been the flashpoints of this rivalry, given the oil rich fields. The Turkmen who are also a minority claim the area creating wide spread outrage. This has impeded any formidable political and economic development in the country, with the destruction that has come from the fights. Policies and talks to create unified state to take advantage of the rich natural resources have been met with the same rivalry borrowing heavily from ethnicity and religious ideologies (MacFarquhar, 2006).
From the time Saddam Hussein rose to his political career, he used mutilation, imprisonment, executions and torture as the sole means of gaining his grip on the nation. Basic freedoms to the people such as reading foreign newspapers, travelling, personal expression and even speaking or having any form of contact with any foreigners were prohibited (MacFarquhar, 2006). During his rise to power after President Ahmed Hassan al-Bakr reign in power, scores of ministers were executed as well other government officials. This was part of the structur...