By Tala Youssef | Staff Writer
People lightly and commonly claim that Iraq was better off, in terms of stability, under the reign of authoritarian Saddam. 20 years after the invasion, the long-term effects still reverberate in the war-scarred nation.
The U.S.-led invasion left a significant disruption in Iraq’s political, economic, and social structures. The removal of the Baathist regime caused insurgency and left a significant power vacuum in the country, as there was no clear successor government or political authority to take control.
The United States, as the primary military force behind the invasion, initially took control of Iraq’s governance and tried to establish a new government. However, it failed to create a stable political environment, and many Iraqis saw the U.S. as an
occupying force rather than a liberating one. The situation became increasingly violent and unstable, causing a rise in anti-American sentiment in the region.
The power vacuum was exacerbated by sectarian divisions and a lack of agreement among the different ethnic and religious groups in Iraq, namely the Shiites, Sunnis, and Kurds; and a federal system emerged. The balance of power, which was previously dominated by Sunnis, shifted fiercely. For the first time, the country witnessed Shia political ascendancy, taking control of all key ministries, followed by a Sunni rejection of these projects.
Sectarianization has defined Iraqi politics ever since and fueled the rise of extremist forces. The political vacuum created a chaotic and unstable environment. The new government struggled to establish legitimacy and create a functioning political system.
Successive political crises were sparked, with the Islamic State carrying out attacks against the Shia-led government, and seizing key Iraqi towns. The lack of security, engendered by the invasion, facilitated the rise of such groups.
The regime change in Iraq allowed Iran to expand its influence in the region. Sunni powers perceive this increased influence as a threat. King Abdullah II of Jordan famously coined the term “The Shia Crescent”, a threat stretching from Beirut to Bahrain.
These geopolitical consequences incited more sectarian tensions within Iraq.
Operation Iraqi Freedom – initiated under distorted pretenses – may have freed the Iraqi people from the authoritarian rule of Hussein. However, this regime change came with a cost, which Iraqi people are expensively paying for, to this day.