During the Abbasid era, Baghdad was known as the “City of Knowledge and Books”, home to the “House of Wisdom Library”, a haven for scholars, thinkers, and innovators. This library remained so until 1258 CE, when it was invaded by the Mongols under Hulagu Khan. The Mongols burned thousands of books and manuscripts, destroying Baghdad’s library. Yet, each time, Iraq rose from the ashes and recovered its former glory. Iraq has always been rich in food, providing sustenance not only for its own people but also for neighboring nations. This historical overview demonstrates that Iraq has always been an arena for major events, marked by periods of decline followed by periods of resurgence.
This pattern was repeated in modern times by a few reckless individuals who sought to seize everything and monopolize power, ultimately succeeding in overthrowing the monarchy in 1958. This coup involved barbaric acts, encouraged by their supporters, such as the dragging of dissidents through the streets, a heinous crime against humanity that was unprecedented in Baghdad’s history. Since July 14, 1958, Iraq has witnessed numerous coup attempts perpetrated by elements within the ruling establishment. Saddam Hussein seized power in 1979 through a coup, just months after Khomeini’s coup against the Shah of Iran. It seems the region was destined to experience the convergence of two bloody, repressive regimes, each seeking to export its internal problems abroad by instigating wars.
These began with the Iran-Iraq War, Saddam Hussein’s invasion of Kuwait, and the subsequent formation of an Iranian axis that brought turmoil to a region that has known no stability since that fateful year when the regimes of Saddam Hussein and Khomeini came to power in Iraq and Iran. The most significant turning point in this trajectory occurred in 2003 when Tehran was rewarded by Washington with control over Iraq’s destiny as a price for its assistance in the invasion. Since then, Baghdad has become a hub for terrorism in the region, facilitating further Iranian expansion into several Arab states. Iranian proxies have entrenched corruption in every facet of Iraqi society. The amount of Iraqi public funds looted since 2003 exceeded one trillion US dollars, according to international and even Iraqi reports.
The Abbasid Caliph Al-Nasir li-Din Allah restored the prestige of the government, developed Iraq’s economy, and eradicated corruption. Today, after the major events that have plunged Iraq into poverty and allowed Iranian proxies to control state institutions to finance terrorism, a new force has emerged, known in the Iraqi capital as the “Third Way,” represented by the new Prime Minister, Ali al-Zaidi. Just as Caliph Al-Nasir li-Din Allah saved the Abbasid Caliphate in its final phase, al- Zaidi is working to cleanse his country, not only of financial corruption but also of the sectarian power-sharing system designed and imposed on Lebanon by Hezbollah.
For almost forty years, Hezbollah has transformed Lebanon into a mere pie, with each faction receiving a predetermined share. Baghdad today is qualified to reclaim its status as a capital of knowledge and literature, but only if the new prime minister succeeds in his project, monopolizes weapons and power in the hands of the state, and firmly cracks down on corruption and those who perpetrate it. It has been said that everyone has a share of the meaning of their name. The Caliph Al-Nasir li-Din Allah means “the one who defends the faith.” Indeed, Caliph Nasir al-Din was able to fulfill the Arabic meaning of his name. Hopefully, the Iraqi Prime Minister, Ali al-Zaidi, will also have a share of the meaning of his name, which signifies increase or surplus. The Iraqi people have suffered from deficiencies in everything, while the pockets of public funds thieves have swelled. May al-Zaidi be able to restore the prestige of the state and return Baghdad to its rightful place as a center of wisdom.
