War and Peace in Iraq

The three gulf wars, legacy of colonialism, and extended international economic treaties are the factors that brought about a conflict-torn and divided state in Iraq. The administration of President George Bush of the United States pushed for the Iraq’s invasion in 2003. This was a result of threats that Iraq had weapons of mass destruction. Saddam Hussein had also declined to work with the weapons inspectors of the United Nations (Monteverde, 2005). 

The 2003 invasion of Iraq gave the United Nations, the United States, and countless NGOs a chance to bring about policies that had intentions of pushing for peace, development, and democracy in the country. This mission went on until 2011. It was a difficult task because they received a lot of persistent resistance from Iraq. 

ISIS started emerging and establishing its roots in the northern part of Iraq in 2014. This was during the tenure of Haider al-Abadi who was the Prime Minister. A serious war against ISIS in Iraq began in 2016. The fight against ISIS included the national army of Iraq, the United States army, Sunni tribesmen, Kurdish forces, and Shi’a militia. 

The war against ISIS in Iraq has been very tough. More than 3.4 million individuals have experienced countrywide displacement. The good news is that the fight for the Mosul which is a key city in Iraq was declared over. There are calls and need for reconciliation efforts and comprehensive accountability. 

The lesson that we learn from the war in Iraq is that battles lead to many unnecessary deaths of soldiers and innocent citizens of the country. Many deaths have been reported as a result of the endless wars in the country (Monteverde, 2005) . The economy of Iraq has also been paralyzed due to political instability and terror threats. Iraq needs to settle its issues with their enemies and look forward to advocating for peace for them to move a step ahead. 

Reference 

Monteverde, M. (2005).  America's Presence in Iraq: Winning the Peace . New York: Rosen Pub. Group.