With the political forces agreeing to appoint Ali al-Zubaidi as Prime Minister, Iraq has ended the period of vacancy in the head of the executive branch, which exceeded the deadline permitted by the Iraqi constitution for appointing a figure to form a government. This delay was caused by the insistence of pro-Iranian parties on clinging to Nouri al-Maliki as their sole candidate, a position rejected by local political forces as well as international objections, particularly from the United States. The delay in appointing the Iraqi Prime Minister consequently postponed the filling of other vacant constitutional positions.
Finally, there is an official tasked with forming the government, which means that the institutions of this large country are functioning properly. This indicates that matters are beginning to be resolved for the sake of reconciliation among the Iraqi people, who have suffered from political, economic, and social instability since 1958. Although Iraq possesses immense wealth that could make it a great nation on all levels, the tyranny it endured for 68 years led to the impoverishment of its people and the emigration of millions, especially those with scientific, technical, and cultural expertise. Iraq’s geography grants it multiple land routes and some sea access points, enabling it to play a pivotal role in the Arab region. Iraq serves as a link between the Arabian Gulf and Europe via Turkiye, through Kuwait and Saudi Arabia, as well as with Asia via Iran.
Iraq’s land borders with Jordan and Syria place it at the heart of the Arab world and make it an important international logistics hub. Throughout those decades, Iraq’s rulers disregarded these vast resources, instead engaging in hostile political ventures with their neighbors following the fall of the monarchy and Abdul Karim Qasim’s attempt to seize Kuwait. Later, the Ba’ath Party came to power and continued this trajectory, culminating in Saddam Hussein’s invention of the “defense of the eastern gate” doctrine, which led to a war with Iran through which he attempted to blackmail the Gulf states. The Iran-Iraq War impoverished the Iraqi people and redirected state resources toward the militarization of the regime.
Saddam Hussein culminated his crimes with the 1990 invasion of Kuwait, thereby severely damaging what remained of the possibility of Arab solidarity. I recount these historical events so that observers may understand that Iraq (Mesopotamia), which possesses some of the largest oil reserves in the region, is rich in agricultural resources, and has a large educated class that has endured more than seven decades of upheaval. The most recent blow to the intellectual class was the systematic campaign carried out by sectarian militias aligned with Tehran, aimed at deepening ignorance among the population. This campaign became more apparent after the American invasion of Iraq and is often described as the result of an indirect alliance between Washington and Tehran.
The prime minister-designate has several opportunities to help lead his country out of this cycle of failure, especially given his economic expertise and his awareness of the risks associated with Iranian infl uence in exploiting Iraq’s natural resources and transforming the Iraqi economy into a shadow economy subservient to the Iranian regime, which is struggling to circumvent international sanctions. It must be emphasized that Iraq has a real opportunity to set itself free from Iranian hegemony and prevent the realization of the ambitions of Tehran’s leaders at the expense of the Iraqi people.
The Iraqi prime minister has much to accomplish, foremost among which is restoring relations with neighboring countries, particularly the Gulf states, Jordan, and Turkiye, and returning them to their proper footing. Any misstep, tolerance of Iranian practices, or acquiescence to the demands of its affiliated militias will only perpetuate Iraq’s cycle of state weakness, further impoverish the people, and increase tensions with its neighbors.
