The sectarian dimension in Iraqi regional politics 1921-2003

Abstract

Iraq's regional policy is considered one of the most important pillars that reflect the nature of Iraqi strategic thought, which Iraq has been characterized by since its establishment as a state and throughout all stages of political and ideological transformations. Iraq has always had expansionist aspirations in its regional neighborhood based on religious and nationalist ideological backgrounds. This study attempts to focus on Iraq's regional policy in the Middle East after the fall of the Ba'athist regime and the formation of the new system, emphasizing the ideological dimension in Iraq's regional policies and focusing on the impact of sectarianism in shaping Iraq's regional policies in the Middle East over the past two decades. The study consists of three sections, in addition to the introduction and conclusions. The first section: The Problem of Sectarianism in the Iraqi State. This section is divided into two branches: the first branch: The Formational Geopolitical Nature of Iraqi Society, and the second branch: The Problem of the Roots of Sectarian, Ethnic, and National Relations in Iraq. The second section: The Sectarian Dimension in Iraqi Regional Politics 1921–1968. This section is divided into three branches: the first branch: The Sectarian Dimension in Iraqi Regional Politics during the Monarchy: 1921–1958; the second branch: The Sectarian Dimension in Regional Politics during the Era of Abd al-Karim Qasim (1958–1963); the third branch: The Sectarian Dimension in Iraqi Regional Politics during the Republican Era 1963–1968. The third section: The Sectarian Dimension of Iraqi Regional Politics during the Ba'athist Era 1968–2003. This section is divided into two branches: the first branch: The Sectarian Dimension of Iraqi Regional Politics during the Ba'athist Era (al-Bakr). 1968-1979, Section Two: The sectarian dimension of Iraqi regional politics during the Ba'athist (Saddamite) era 1979-2003, and finally, the list of sources.