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The Future of Iraq, 3/1/2010
Overview:
Seven years after the invasion of Iraq, the U.S. policy objective is now withdrawal. This only works if Iraq can govern itself and become a self sufficient nation. Join Active Minds as we look at the potential path for Iraq to stand on its own and the challenges that may be encountered along that road.
Key Lecture Points:
On March 7, 2010 Iraqi citizens will participate in elections to select the 325 members of the Iraqi Parliament. Thereafter, the new Council of Representatives of Iraq will elect a Prime Minister and a Presidential Council (a President and Two Vice Presidents). In the run up to the elections, violence between the major ethnic and religious groups has escalated, creating a challenge for both the fledgling Iraqi government and the US security forces still on the ground in Iraq.
In 2003, a US-led coalition invaded Iraq to topple to government of Saddam Hussein. Since that time Americans have fiercely debated US strategy in Iraq, focusing in particular on US efforts to quell ethno-sectarian violence, efforts to transfer security responsibility to Iraqis, efforts to establish a democracy, and the proper level of US troop strength in the country.
As the war wears on, it has become increasingly clear to Americans that the situation in Iraq is incredibly complex. A country historically divided along ethnic and religious lines, and historically a place for competing imperial ambitions, Iraq has emerged in the post-Saddam era as a society for which establishing law and order and reconciling political differences is immensely challenging.
In February 2009, President Obama announced he would withdraw American combat troops by August 2010, followed by a complete withdrawal of US forces by December 2011. As of March 2010, the US has 98,000 troops in Iraq, the lowest level since before the 2003 invasion. As those deadlines approach, questions of the extent to which Iraq can sustain itself peacefully, without a US troop presence, will intensify.
Exploration Questions:
How does the history of Iraq complicate the effort to create a self-sustaining government in the wake of the Hussein era?
What are the arguments in favor and in opposition to dividing Iraq into three separate states?
Reflective Questions:
Are there elements of the Iraqi civilization that intrigue you? The art? The history? The architecture?
More to Explore:
New York Times Overview of Iraq: http://topics.nytimes.com
Council on Foreign Relations Iraqi Elections: http://www.cfr.org
Books For Further Reading:
Tripp, Charles. A History of Iraq. Cambridge University Press, 2007. 386 pages. This book has become a seminal historical work on Iraq, particularly as Tripp, in the first edition in 2000, foreshadowed the current conflict in the country and the obstacles confronting US forces there. The praise of this book from students and journalists alike speaks to its readability for non-academics. Click here to order.
Engel, Richard. War Journal: My Five Years in Iraq. Simon & Schuster, 2008. 400 pages. Engel has covered Iraq for the past 5 years for NBC. He offers an unvarnished and often emotional account of his time in Iraq. He is the longest serving broadcaster in Iraq. Fluent in Arabic, he has witnessed every milestone in the war. Click here to order.
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