Iraq: historical context and contemporary issues

Iraq is one of the most renowned countries in Western Asia, partly due to the recent war that took place there and partly because of the fact that it is positioned in the Ancient land of Mesopotamia. In spite of its power, its stability has been threatened through the years because of religious tension and because its leaders have trouble promoting a single type of political ideology.

Iraq's capital is in Baghdad and it contains around 7,216, 040 people and it is the largest city in the 31 million people country. Arabic and Kurdish dominate most of the country, with minorities representing a very small proportion of the country's inhabitants. "Today more than three-quarters of Iraqis are Arabs, at least 15% are Kurds, and the rest include Turkomans, Persians, and Assyrians" (Hassig & Al Adely, 51). Jal Talabany is the country's current President and it is curious that in spite of the country's demographics he is the first non-Arab ruler. Shia Muslims represent the majority, but they are generally regarded as being inferior to Sunni Muslims. The country is mostly Muslim and there are very few individuals worshiping other religions there.

Iraq is a Western Asian country bordering Iran to the east, Jordan to the southwest, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia in the south, Syria in the northwest, and Turkey in the north. The country opens to the Persian Gulf and its coastline is very narrow, taking into account that it only measures 36 miles of coast. Similar to the ancient Mesopotamians, Iraq thrived through time because it was located near two of the principal rivers in Western Asia, Tigris and Euphrates. In contrast to many countries in Western Asia, its positioning means that it has an advantage, as the country is generally surrounded by barren lands. The country's land area can be compared with the U.S. state of California, given that it is about 166,859 square miles.

Faisal bin Hussein bin Ali al-Hashemi was king of Iraq from 1921 until 1933 and he expressed particular interest in removing discrimination from within the country's borders. In spite of his efforts, he achieved little success because foreign influence prevented the country's inhabitants from understanding the significance of being united. Saddam Hussein is certainly one of the most controversial characters in the country's history. The leader's authority could be observed ever since the early 1970s, when he "was widely recognized as the power behind President al-Bakr, who after 1977 was little more than a figurehead" (Etheredge, 155). The fact that he was experienced in politics and learnt a lot of lessons from his predecessor's failures played an important role in securing his position. His initial ruling saw ruthless legislations and the eradication of practically all of his potential opponents. Saddam's ruling emphasized that he would not accept any kind of opposition and whoever expressed the slightest desire to contradict him was harshly punished. The few protests that emerged during his leadership ended terribly and the Halabja poison gas attack is one of the most horrible examples of his thinking. Tens of thousands of individuals died as a result of Saddam's ruthlessness. Even though it was not until 2006 when he was finally captured and executed for his crimes against humanity, it is only safe to say that the world punished him for his actions (Etheredge, 161).

The observation of the Ramadan represents one of the most important values in Iraqi thinking. Muslims fast from sunrise and until sunset during this month, this making it possible for them to develop a stronger connection with God. Fasting is also intended to have Muslims acknowledge that they are dependent on God. Islam forbids pig and most Muslims eat sheep or goat meat. Even with this, conditions are currently critical in many areas from the country as individuals have access to strict rations and this makes it difficult for children to develop properly. "This has had a harmful effect on the health of the average Iraqi, particularly children aged 1 to 5, as their daily diet lacks many essential vitamins and nutrients. In fact, one in five Iraqi children does not live to age 5" (Hassig & Al Adely, 119).