GrunnMUN 2010 The General Assembly Topic: Post-Conflict Peace Building in the Republic of Iraq
“Reconcilliation is to understand both sides; to go to one side and to describe the suffering being endured by the other side, and then go to the other side and describe the suffering being endured by the first side.� A Quote from Vietname peace activist Thich Nhat Hanh (1967)
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Introduction The end of Saddam Hussein’s dictatorial reign in the spring of 2003 resembled an Iraqi version of stunde null. Ever since, Iraq’s future has hung in the balance. On the one hand, the future looks optimistic, as an illegitimate and authoritarian regime has been toppled. On the other hand, the foreign presence in Iraqi inspires the emergence of fundamentalist and radical groups, seeking to offset past grievances and to employ a general insurgency against the political establishment. The Iraq War was effectuated with the intention to bar the development of nuclear and non-nuclear weapons in Iraq. Having found no weapons of mass destruction, it was up to the American-established Coalition Provisional Authority to re-establish a legitimate government in the country.1 Subsequent governments in Baghdad have all attempted to pursue this path. However, instability has engulfed the country’s political institutions. The massive sum of costs involved, tens of thousands of Iraqis left dead as well as 4 million displaced civilians amounts to great trauma undergone by the region.2 Far from offering an immediate solution to the problem of legitimate political rule in Iraq, the Iraq War has further intensified sectarian, ideological and religious tensions and has plunged the country into one of the deadliest displays of violence in the Middle East. The regime of Saddam Hussein, brutal as it was, managed to suppress the sectarian divides that characterize modern day Iraq. Demanding ever more emancipation, the Kurds in northern Iraq and the Shi’as in the southeast have raised their voices and strive to ascertain their legitimate human rights in the country. Putting aside the question of the rationale and the necessity of the elimination of Saddam Hussein’s rule, the situation at hand demands action. The international community should not remain indifferent to the troubles of peace building in such a volatile region in the Middle East. Recognizing the policies already in place, it is now up to you to devise new peace building strategies and to strengthen good governance in Iraq. In the following guide, you will be further informed on the facts pertaining to the situation in Iraq. The background to this conflict will provide you with an empathetic understanding of the subject matter, while the actions of the international community detailed in this guide will enlighten you on possible pathways towards solutions.
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CNN World News. Six Years Later; Progress and Doubts are Legacy of Iraq War. Ibid.
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Although you will be informed on all the essential information on this case, you are well advised to broaden your scrutiny beyond this guide when researching your country’s position. When you do so, please bear in mind the controversial history of this subject matter and the need for an internationally accepted consensus on the formulation of innovative and creative measures to foster the growth of reconciliation and peace in the Republic of Iraq. Background to the Problem Iraq’s remarkable modern history, the era under the Ottoman Empire’s rule and the decades under British mandate, command a much more meticulous research agenda, lying outside the scope of this paper. One recurring theme in Iraqi history, however, is evident: profound divides remain to be bridged. Despite various attempts of nation building, including the attempts of nationalist, Pan-Arabic and sectarian politicians in the past, a unified nation with a common consciousness is absent. For the purposes of clarity, we may discern three major groups in the country. First and foremost is the Sunni population, having always been represented in the country’s political institutions. Previous regimes in Iraq, popularly supported by the Sunni Ba’th Party were successful in allocating all top state positions to Sunni Arabs. In effect, entire layers of the civil administration and the bureaucracy became entrusted to only one of the country’s dominant groups. The situation has been altogether different for the Shi’a majority in Iraq, as they remain disenfranchised by the political settlements of the past.3 The Shi’as share close religious ties with neighbouring Iran and are further reinforced by the Ayatollahs’ religious appeal. As a result, Iranian meddling in domestic Iraqi matters has increased, further constraining the actions of the Iraqi state.4 In the aftermath of the Iraq War and after seven years of inter-communal strife, the conclusion may be justified that Iran has been the primary beneficiary of the conflict.
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Better with UN? Searching for Peace and Governance in Iraq. Ibid.
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Next
to
religiously Sunni
the divided
and
Shi’a
communities, ethnic
tensions
characterize Iraqi
the
populations
inhabiting the north of
the
Here, Sunni
country.
Kurds
and Arabs
continue to harbour major
grievances,
as self-rule has been historically denied to the Kurds.5 The legacy of Saddam Hussein is striking in this respect. Saddam Hussein, a Ba’thist himself, remains notorious amongst the Kurds; many vividly recall the massacres the old autocrat unleashed in the aftermath of the Iran-Iraq War in Halabja.6 Although a relative degree of autonomy is currently entrusted to the Kurdish regions in northern Iraq, minor skirmishes between Kurdish law enforcers and government forces continue to occur. The current settlement is such that the Kurds may exercise far-reaching control over their territories - by means of Peshmerga police forces, but the Kurdish regional government stays answerable to Baghdad at all times. The international community has called upon the three diverse communities inhabiting Iraq to unite, to step beyond obstructive positions and to work together in the interest of the Iraqi state. United Nations Security Council resolutions, effectively establishing legal, yet transitional, rule in Baghdad has brought about the adoption of a new constitution in 2006 and parliamentary elections thereafter.7 The constitution, however, has been unable to reconcile the Sunnis with the Shi’as. Highly divisive and politicized encounters between the two groups has left the old establishment in the Sunni Ba’th Party disillusioned on current and future cooperation with the Shi’a majority of the population. Fearful of the risk of becoming further isolated and mindful of Iran’s growing influence, many radicalized Sunnis now strive to reassert their former dominance in the country by staging a counterinsurgency against American 5 6 7
International Crisis Group. Conflict History: Iraq. Iran and Iraq: Old Foes Warm Up. The Critical Battles: Political Reconciliation and Reconstruction in Iraq.
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troops and by attacking Shi’a fortifications in southern Iraq. Amidst reprisals from radicalized Shi’a factions, armed with Iranian weapons, the status quo is extremely dire.8 Present Prime Minister Nouri Al-Maliki – a Shi’a – and President Jalal Talabani – a Sunni– currently govern a nation that may be branded a failed state. It is to this background that the United States increased its presence in Iraq by means of a massive influx of American troops – the Surge – in a bid to secure the country.9 Past Action of the International Community The most important partner of the Iraqi government - the United States – has strong interests in fostering the development of a stable Iraq. For a time, American troops have helped secure the country, but given the immense financial strains on the US budget, the situation cannot endure indefinitely. President Obama’s ascendance to power and his pledge to initiate a troop withdrawal is in accordance with the financial facts at hand. A Strategic Framework Agreement between Al-Maliki’s government and the Obama administration has made this promise into effective policy. American troops will now leave the country in several phases, the last American soldier to withdraw at the end of December 2011. At the moment, American troops only reside in the rural and non-urban sections in the country. However, many fear that without the American troops present, Iraq may undergo another round of fierce ethnic and religious violence.10 On a different note, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees has repeatedly voiced the need for measures relating to the vast numbers of internally and externally displaced in the region. As the sectarian violence mounted in March 2006, thousands of Iraqis have left their homes and other belongings to flee the fighting. Now that public order has been partially restored, these refugees need additional protection and guidance in their quest in getting back to their homes.11
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Ibid. International Crisis Group. The US Troop Withdrawal from Iraq. 10 The Critical Battles: Political Reconciliation and Reconstruction in Iraq. 11 Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. Iraq: Country Profile. 9
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Recent Developments The influx of American troops has greatly helped in reducing the security concerns of the Iraqi government. In the aftermath of the Surge, however, and considering the withdrawal of troops, it remains to be seen whether social cohesion and stability will be maintained. Sectarian divides in the south between orthodox Shi’as and Sunnis may prove to be irreconcilable. A general lack of access to basic services and employment further
exacerbates
economic
disparities.
Moreover, the ethnic divides between the main Arab population and the Kurdish people in the northern regions of the country is yet another source of possible conflict. The Kurds are granted recognition and supplementary autonomy rights by the current constitution, yet remain in constant search of additional territory to be added to the Regional Kurdish Authority.12 Quite recently, Peshmerga units have attempted to exercise control over parts of the Nineveh region, violently clashing with forces dispatched by the Baghdad government to protect the interests of the Sunni Arab governors in the north. Baghdad’s desire to reassert effective control in the north may contribute to additional instability. As both groups are building fortifications along the disputed borders, the stage is set for a destructive conflict. The presence of US troops is vital here as the Americans act as peacekeepers, rather than as counter insurgents. On several occasions Peshmerga units and government troops have exchanged fire, only to be stopped by rapid American intervention.13 Another source of possible discontent may originate from the exclusion of Ba’thist candidates to run for office for the upcoming parliamentary elections.14 The elections are viewed with immense unease with the growing risk of the campaign turning violent as radical Shi’a and Sunni factions rival for power in the area surrounding 12 13 14
The Economist. Iraq’s Dangerous Trigger Line: Too Late to Keep the Peace? The Economist. Iraq’s Dangerous Trigger Line: Too Late to Keep the Peace? Iraq’s Coming Election: Reopening the Old Sectarian Wounds. The Economist
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Baghdad. Moreover, in the event of poorly organized elections on March the 7th 2010, Prime Minister Al-Maliki’s government will certainly lose face, further delegitimizing the Iraqi state. Conclusion The sectarian divides in southern Iraq as well the ethnic strife between Kurds and Sunnis in the north call upon the international community to act on these matters. The existentiality of the divides must be offset. Sunnis, Shi’as and Kurds all have huge incentives to work to build a solid peace. It is up to you now to further promote this goal and to prohibit Iraq becoming a failed state. Questions to Ponder 1. What means may advance the legitimate character of the Iraqi state and help in addressing the concerns of those currently disenfranchised? 2. Is it necessary to further amend the Iraqi constitution in view of the divisive nature of some of the current articles? 3. How is to be judged of the withdrawal of American troops from Iraq, a process that may offset the security gains achieved by the Surge? 4. Is the future nature of the Iraqi state to be envisaged as a unitary state or embedded within a system of federalism? 5. How is to be judged of the growing Iranian sway over Iraqi Shi’as?
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References Iraq’s Dangerous Trigger Line: Too Late to Keep the Peace? The Economist, 2010. Retrieved 2nd March, Accessed at: http://www.economist.com/research/articlesBySubject/displaystory.cfm?subjectid=34 8966&story_id=15502375 Mills, G. (2004). Better with UN? Searching for Peace and Governance in Iraq. Global Governance, volume 10: 281-288. Six Years Later; Progress and Doubts are Legacy of Iraq War. CNN World News, 2009. Retrieved 2nd March, Accessed at: http://www.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/meast/03/19/iraq.anniversary/index.html International Crisis Group. Conflict History: Iraq. Retrieved 2nd March, Accessed at: http://www.crisisgroup.org/home/index.cfm?action=conflict_search&l=1&t=1&c_coun try=51 International Crisis Group. The US Troop Withdrawal from Iraq. Retrieved 2nd March, Accessed at: http://www.crisisgroup.org/home/index.cfm?id=3956&&l=1 Iraq’s Coming Election: Reopening the Old Sectarian Wounds. The Economist, 2010. Retrieved 2nd March, Accessed at: http://www.economist.com/research/articlesBySubject/displaystory.cfm?subjectid=34 8966&story_id=15401903 Pascual, C. & Pollack, K. (2007). The Critical Battles: Political Reconciliation and Reconstruction in Iraq. The Washington Quarterly, Summer 2007. Peterson, S. (1998). Iran and Iraq: Old Foes Warm up. Christian Science Monitor, volume 90. Retrieved 2nd March, Accessed at: http://web.ebscohost.com.proxy.library.uu.nl/ehost/detail?vid=2&hid=3&sid=f18c962 2-27fd-4ca0-b43926b335a7ef2c%40sessionmgr10&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d%3d#db=af h&AN=440606
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Iraq: Country Profile. Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. Retrieved 2nd March, Accessed at: http://www.unhcr.org/cgibin/texis/vtx/page?page=49e486426
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ANNEX A: Map detailing the spread of the different ethnic and religious groups in Iraq
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