Current Political Climate in Iraq
... US casualties are mounting in Iraq. ... Therefore, we plan to explain to our readers how the history, current situation, and media influence, have shaped the current political climate in Iraq. The nation of Iraq emerged in October 1932. ... However, they gave little regard to existing ethnic and political divisions within the area. ... When King Fiasal died in 1933, this increased the stress on a political system that was being overwhelmed by the conflicting demands. ... In 1979, Hussein moved up to the top spot in the Baath party and brought Iraq a period of stability for the first time. ... The United Nations (UN) stepped in and established international trade sanctions against Iraq, but Hussein did not withdraw his troops. ... While Iraq destroyed at least some chemical weapons under UN supervision, Hussein’s belligerence and lack of cooperation with this policy grew over the next few years. ... Following the end of hostilities, the United States began the process of rebuilding Iraq, both physically and politically. ... This counsel of (25) members was chosen to reflect both the ethnic and religious groups within Iraq. While actual political power is currently in the hands of the CPA, the counsel has been granted an increasing amount of authority in an effort to increase confidence among the Iraqi people in the ruling counsel. ... Those arguing for appointed delegates point out the inability of the current political structure to prevent wide scale voter fraud, primarily due to the lack of an acceptable national identity document. Complicating this process is the jockeying for political power among all of the different ethnic, religious, tribal, and social factions within Iraq. ... Comprising a majority, possibly as high as 65% of the population in Iraq, the Shiites are actually a minority everywhere else in the Muslim world, with the exception of Iran. As a group, the Shiite’s have been consistently excluded from power in Iraq, dating all the way back to before Iraq became a nation again in 1932.