Answer Each Of The Following Questions In At Least One Reply ✓ Solved

Answer Each Of The Following Questions In At Least One Complete Paragr

In which respect does Iraq have very shallow roots as a nation? Explain how this feature has constituted an obstacle to the country's political and economic development? How were Saddam Hussein and the men around him able to create and sustain such a powerful regime, especially after all the setbacks during the two decades before the 2003 war?

Sample Paper For Above instruction

Iraq's political and social fabric is characterized by inherently shallow national roots, largely due to its complex and fractured ethnic, sectarian, and tribal identities. Unlike nation-states with deep-rooted shared histories, cultural cohesion, and a strong sense of national identity, Iraq's societal structure has historically been dominated by divisions among Kurds, Arabs, Turkmen, Shi'a, and Sunni communities. These divisions impede the development of a unified national identity, fostering suspicion, rivalry, and patronage networks rather than fostering national allegiance (Makiya, 2004). This lack of deep-rooted national cohesion has been a significant obstacle to political stability, rendering state institutions fragile and susceptible to sectarian and ethnic violence. Economically, the absence of a cohesive national identity hampers unified development strategies, investment, and policy implementation, as different groups prioritize their own interests over national progress (Hiltermann, 2007).

Saddam Hussein and his inner circle succeeded in creating and maintaining a powerful authoritarian regime despite the setbacks of the 1980s and early 1990s for several reasons. Firstly, Saddam employed a brutal security apparatus that suppressed opposition and eliminated potential threats through imprisonment, torture, and executions, creating an environment of fear and obedience (Tripp, 2007). Secondly, he cultivated a cult of personality using propaganda, control over educational and media outlets, and symbolic gestures that promoted his image as the protector of Iraqi nationalism and Islam, thus consolidating loyalty among the ruling elites and segments of the population (Dodge, 2003). Thirdly, the regime exploited Iraq’s strategic position and control over resource wealth, especially oil revenues, to bolster its military power and institutional stability. Despite international sanctions and military setbacks, Saddam's regime was remarkably resilient, maintained by a combination of repression, ideological indoctrination, and patronage networks that ensured loyalty from key military and political figures, enabling him to sustain power up to the 2003 invasion (Baker, 2004).

References

• Baker, A. (2004). Saddam's War of Words: Politics, Religion, and the History of Iraq. New York: Palgrave Macmillan.
• Dodge, T. (2003). Inventing Iraq: The Failure of Nation Building and a History Denied. New York: Routledge.
• Hiltermann, J. R. (2007). A Poisonous Affair: Bush and the Iraq War. Harvard University Press.
• Makiya, K. (2004). The Religion of Democracy: Political Faith in Iraq. Foreign Affairs, 83(4), 36-50.
• Tripp, C. (2007). A History of Iraq. Cambridge University Press.