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Much has been written about the events surrounding the 2003 Anglo-American invasion of Iraq and its aftermath, especially about the intentions, principles, plans and course of action of US policy, but much less attention has been given to the consequences of US policy on Iraqi political and social development. This book provides an in-depth analysis of the impact of US policy on the social and political development of Iraq in the twenty-first century. It shows how not just the institutions of the state were destroyed in 2003, leaving the way open for sectarianism, but also the country's cultural integrity, political coherence, and national-oriented economy. It outlines how Iraq has been economically impoverished, assessing the appalling situation which ordinary people, including women and children, have endured, not just as a result of the 2003 war, but also as a consequence of the 1991 war and the sanctions imposed in the following years. The book argues that the social, political, and cultural ruin that accompanied the Iraq war was an absolute catastrophe; that the policies which had such adverse effects were the foreseeable consequences of deliberate policy choices; and that those responsible continue to evade being made accountable.
List of contents
Preface 1. Introduction: Iraqi’ Ruination – The Humanitarian Costs of an Imposed State Part 1: Deconstruction and Reconstruction of the State 2. Whither Iraq? Beyond Saddam, Sanctions and the Occupation 3. Killing the State and Undermining the Nation 4. The Sectarian State in Iraq and the New Political Class 5. The Hallmark of the New State: Political Corruption Part 2: People in the Quagmire 6. Children of the Occupation: A Decade after the Invasion 7. Iraqi Women under Occupation: From Tribalism to Neo-feudalism 8. Iraq in the 21st Century: Retrospect and Prospect Epilogue
About the author
Tareq Y. Ismael is a Professor in the Department of Political Science at the University of Calgary, Canada
Jacqueline S. Ismael is a Professor in the Faculty of Social Work at the University of Calgary, Canada
