The departure of the last US troops from Iraq marks the end of a presence that began on 20 March 2003 with the invasion that led to the fall of Saddam Hussein’s regime. At the height of its deployment, in 2007, the United States had around 170,000 troops stationed in the country; after the first withdrawal in 2011, troops returned in 2014 at the request of Baghdad to support the fight against ISIS. In recent years, the US presence had progressively been reduced to a military support and advisory mission.
(Foto Calvarese/SIR)
Strengthening sovereignty. For Cardinal Louis Raphael Sako, emeritus Chaldean Patriarch of Baghdad and a privileged witness to these 23 years of Iraqi history, the withdrawal marks an important but not decisive turning point. “The sovereignty of the state is a fundamental point for any political, economic or security-related activity”.
“It is entirely natural that a strong and sovereign state cannot accept the presence of foreign forces on its territory”,
the cardinal says. According to Mar Sako, the end of the American presence constitutes “a step towards strengthening Iraqi sovereignty”, but leaves important questions unresolved.
“The risk cannot be ignored that, under the present circumstances, it could create a security and political vacuum, especially given the conflicts that are still present in the region and the presence of other armed forces in Iraq”.
In his assessment of the years following 2003, the emeritus patriarch acknowledges that the United States played “a fundamental role in changing the Iraqi regime”, but observes that “in the years that followed, it was not possible to build a strong and stable institutional state to the extent required”.
Unresolved issues. The weight of unresolved issues remains, he explains: “The presence of weapons outside state control, corruption, political sectarianism and the system of power-sharing”. For Mar Sako, the problem is not merely military. “All these problems require serious and profound reforms. The fragility of the internal and regional situation risks making it difficult for Iraq to rely exclusively on its own capabilities to guarantee security, stability and the protection of its resources”. It is no coincidence that the cardinal points to the examples of Lebanon and Yemen, where “it is difficult to build a strong state when there are different centres of power and different armed actors within it”. His assessment of the effects of the US intervention is harsh. “The years following the American invasion of Iraq left the country in a situation of profound instability and disorder”, the cardinal observes. “Over these past 23 years, Iraq has failed to achieve the level of security and economic stability required, or to develop infrastructure and public services to the extent hoped for”.
(Foto ANSA/SIR)
The growth of jihadism. The weakness of the institutions, he adds, also fuelled the growth of jihadism: “It created the conditions that enabled organisations such as al-Qaeda and, subsequently, ISIS to operate, further weaken the state and take control of large areas of the country”. For this reason, he warns, “the mere withdrawal of US forces is not, by itself, sufficient to consolidate the full sovereignty of the Iraqi government”. The priority, he stresses, remains the state monopoly on the use of force:
necessary first and foremost to bring the possession and use of weapons under the control of legitimate state institutions”.
At the same time, it is necessary to “seriously address the problem of corruption and pursue political, legal and constitutional reforms”, while guaranteeing “the rights of all citizens and all components of Iraqi society, without discrimination”.
The high price paid by Christians. Particularly painful is the reflection on the consequences these years have had for the Christian presence in the country. “Christians in Iraq have paid an extremely high price in recent decades, especially since 2003. They have been victims of killings, kidnappings, attacks, forced displacement and attacks on their churches”. The communities of Mosul and the Nineveh Plain have paid a higher price than others: “They suffered severe forced displacement and saw their homes and property confiscated or occupied”. However, the issue is not only one of security. “Over the years, there has also been a significant decline in their political and social presence”, Mar Sako explains. Many Christians, in fact, believe that “their representation in state institutions and in parliament does not adequately reflect the seriousness of the challenges they face”.
Cristiani iracheni
Emigration. Added to this are economic problems, inadequate services and a lack of employment opportunities. “All this has prompted a considerable number of Christians to leave the country in search of security, stability and a better future for themselves and their children”. The emeritus patriarch fears that the trend will continue:
“The risk is that emigration will continue and that, in the long term, the historic presence of the Christian community in Iraq will be placed in serious jeopardy”.
For the emeritus patriarch, the real challenge after the American withdrawal will therefore be to finally build a state capable of guaranteeing equality, security and full citizenship to all its inhabitants.
The post Iraq, US withdrawal. Card. Sako (emeritus patriarch) to SIR: “An era is coming to an end, but without reforms the country risks remaining fragile” first appeared on AgenSIR.