Common identity vital for peace in Iraq
Mohammad Sagha- Sophomore, Political Science
Issue date: 2/1/10 Section: Two Cents
A united Iraq was always a shaky concept. Due to British ingenuity in splitting up the post-Ottoman Middle East, Iraq is a nation of many divisions. Unless there's a strong leader, a nation with many serious ethnic and religious differences is difficult to keep together. Enter Saddam Hussein. Unfortunately for the Iraqis, Hussein was not only strong-he was extremely violent, tyrannical and sadistic.
Despite American efforts at forming a secular democracy in the smoldering ruin of Saddam Hussein's dictatorship, the demand for unity seems to roll hesitantly off the tongue.
During his State of the Union address, President Obama pledged to have all "combat troops out of Iraq by the end of this August." According to a New York Times article in early 2009, he is planning on leaving a "residual force of 35,000 to 50,000 troops" in the country. At the moment, things appear to be going according to this plan; not to say, of course, Iraq always goes "according to plan." But the ability of Iraq to provide for its own national security is a major concern, and perhaps more importantly, its ability to form a cohesive national bond and outlook is the bigger challenge.
The question facing Iraq, ultimately, is one of unity. Without the American night watchman, will Iraq be able to stay united? Will the Kurds, Sunnis and Shias consider themselves as Iraqis-or as Kurds, Sunnis and Shias?
It's unclear, as most important international questions are, but the recipe needed for national cohesion in Iraq seems to be missing a few ingredients, the most important of which is a shared identity.
For Iraq to be a strong nation, its citizens must share a common identity as Iraqis and not some other sub-national group. Kurds shouldn't feel different from Arabs; Sunnis shouldn't feel different from Shias. But the demographic breakup of Iraq is fragile, with a 15-20 percent Kurdish population and a 60-65 percent Shia majority. Each ethnic and religious group is large enough to pose a serious separatist threat.
The difficulties of Iraq are a prime example of the problems all nations have. What makes a modern nation a nation? It's the shared attributes citizens have: language, culture, ethnicity, values and religion. Not all of these are required for national unity, but the more they are shared, the more cohesive a nation is.
Iraq's problems are not simply strategic in nature. They are social and political as well. No matter how many troops we keep in Iraq, the health of Iraq's state relies on more than a military presence. It relies on genuine social and cultural development that Iraqis must work out amongst themselves. The United States cannot export democracy; the Iraqis must work for it themselves if they so choose.
Despite American efforts at forming a secular democracy in the smoldering ruin of Saddam Hussein's dictatorship, the demand for unity seems to roll hesitantly off the tongue.
During his State of the Union address, President Obama pledged to have all "combat troops out of Iraq by the end of this August." According to a New York Times article in early 2009, he is planning on leaving a "residual force of 35,000 to 50,000 troops" in the country. At the moment, things appear to be going according to this plan; not to say, of course, Iraq always goes "according to plan." But the ability of Iraq to provide for its own national security is a major concern, and perhaps more importantly, its ability to form a cohesive national bond and outlook is the bigger challenge.
The question facing Iraq, ultimately, is one of unity. Without the American night watchman, will Iraq be able to stay united? Will the Kurds, Sunnis and Shias consider themselves as Iraqis-or as Kurds, Sunnis and Shias?
It's unclear, as most important international questions are, but the recipe needed for national cohesion in Iraq seems to be missing a few ingredients, the most important of which is a shared identity.
For Iraq to be a strong nation, its citizens must share a common identity as Iraqis and not some other sub-national group. Kurds shouldn't feel different from Arabs; Sunnis shouldn't feel different from Shias. But the demographic breakup of Iraq is fragile, with a 15-20 percent Kurdish population and a 60-65 percent Shia majority. Each ethnic and religious group is large enough to pose a serious separatist threat.
The difficulties of Iraq are a prime example of the problems all nations have. What makes a modern nation a nation? It's the shared attributes citizens have: language, culture, ethnicity, values and religion. Not all of these are required for national unity, but the more they are shared, the more cohesive a nation is.
Iraq's problems are not simply strategic in nature. They are social and political as well. No matter how many troops we keep in Iraq, the health of Iraq's state relies on more than a military presence. It relies on genuine social and cultural development that Iraqis must work out amongst themselves. The United States cannot export democracy; the Iraqis must work for it themselves if they so choose.
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