Image credit: Taha Hussein Ali / Getty
May 25, 2023
From shock and awe to stability and flaws: Iraq’s post-invasion journey
Twenty years after the US-led invasion of Iraq, the country is now run by its eighth government, which took power in October 2022. Despite continuous fears of implosion, the political order and the elite in Iraq have proven resilient in the face of terrorism, civil war, threats of secession, and mass protests. Europeans should now acknowledge that the informal consociational system, the party politics, the patronage networks, and the competing paramilitaries are going to be long-term features of Iraqi governance.
This moment opens new possibilities for European actors to engage with Baghdad to cooperate with the Iraqi government and Iraqi civil society.
This governance system was on ample display during incoming prime minister Mohammed al-Sudani’s first hundred days in office. He sought to please all sides in his consensus government (and arguably even those outside the government) through various crowd-pleasing measures. Instead of focusing on major reforms or challenging the status quo (something that his predecessor Mustafa al-Kadhimi tried and failed to do), Sudani’s government has prioritised infrastructure and services. Sudani is so intent on this priority that staffers in the parliament refer to his administration as “the services government”.[1]
Read the full article from the European Council on Foreign Relations.
More from CNAS
-
Are U.S. Sanctions Alone Enough to Limit the Effects of the Russian-Iranian Military Partnership?
Jonathan Lord joins Alhurra to discuss the effects of U.S. sanctions on Iran and the growing security ties between Russia, Iran, and the effects on the Middle East. Watch th...
By Jonathan Lord
-
Congress’ Vital Role in Developing a Lasting, Sustainable, and Bipartisan, U.S. Strategy for Syria
Introductory Remarks Chairman Wilson, Ranking Member Phillips, distinguished members of the subcommittee: Thank you for the opportunity to testify before you today. If I may t...
By Jonathan Lord
-
The Lawfare Podcast: The Saudi-Iran Deal Featuring China
To understand China's attempt to broker a deal between Iran and Saudi Arabia, and what all of this might mean for the region, Lawfare Associate Editor Hyemin Han talked to Law...
By Jonathan Lord
-
Two Decades of Uneven Federalism in Iraq
Beyond the political obstacles and resistance by the central government to give up control over revenue-generating resources, Iraq lacks the institutions for decentralized gov...
By Hamzeh Hadad