1. A History of Violence and Instability
The United States officially withdrew its military from Iraq in 2011, but violence
and political instability has continued unabated. The combination of the Arab
Spring protests and the Syrian Civil War posed major problems for both the Iraqi
government and its people. Although the Arab Spring movement did not topple
the government, the Iraqi National Movement boycotted Parliament, claiming the
Shiite-dominated government was attempting to discriminate against Sunnis.
In 2012, violence grew and armed groups became empowered by the conflict in
neighboring Syria. Sunni militant groups began attacking the Shiite population,
hoping to undermine Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki’s government. In 2014, Sunni
militant groups belonging to the Islamic State took control of large parts of the
country and several major cities, including Tikrit, Fallujah, and Mosul. This violent
power grab created hundreds of thousands of internally displaced persons and
showed the world the horrific atrocities committed by the terrorist organization.
New Leadership, but New Hope?
During August of 2014, the international community – including the United
Nations, the United States, the European Union, and major Middle Eastern
countries – called for new leadership in Iraq. On September 9, 2014, Haider al-
Abadi became the new prime minister, creating a broad government that
included Sunnis, Shiites, and Kurds.
Prime Minister Abadi received his Masters in the United Kingdom and lived in
Britain with his family for years, after being targeted by Saddam Hussein. He
entered politics after the 2003 invasion of Iraq, first as minister of
communications and a key adviser, and then recently was elected deputy
speaker of parliament. Although he is a Shiite Muslim like his predecessor Maliki,
and thus a member of the ruling coalition, there are hopes that he will avoid the
sectarian conflicts and struggles that have dominated the past.
The Islamic State
The main issue facing Prime Minister Abadi, and the international community, is
the terrorist group, the Islamic State, or the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant
(ISIL). Starting as an al-Qaeda splinter group, they are attempting to establish a
society ruled by Sharia Law, grounded in eighth century Islam. The group is
known for committing heinous acts of violence against people and carrying out
public executions, making their expansion throughout Syria and Iraq a terrifying
problem.
Starting in June 2014, the United States sent hundreds of troops back to Iraq to
support Iraqi forces and protect the U.S. embassy. IS continued their campaign,
destroying historical and holy sites and taking control of Syria’s largest oil field. In

2. August 2014, President Obama authorized airstrikes against IS, as the threat
increases – at this point IS is kidnapping and killing foreign journalists and
humanitarian workers in Iraq and Syria. In February 2015, President Obama asks
Congress to formally authorize military force against IS. Throughout the year, IS
continues its attacks, and they begins to expand beyond Iraq and Syria – IS
takes credit for violence in France, Tunisia, Kuwait, and Egypt.
Even the SMALL Amount of Economic Growth is LONG gone
As almost 90% of the government revenue comes from oil, the economic
situation is almost as precarious as the political one. At the end of September,
OPEC oil output had increased in the country, recovering after disruptions in
August. With the government attempting a large military campaign against IS,
falling exports and unpredictable oil prices are not a good sign. To fill the void,
the government is dipping into its savings, selling bonds, and hopes to borrow
from the World Bank and IMF.
Constant war and instability is taking its toll on the economy, which decreased by
2.7% last year. Before IS came onto the scene in 2013, foreign investment was
only $2.9 billion – far below what Iraq needs to rebuild. Unemployment holds
steady at 25% and over 40% of working age Iraqis are employed by the
government, pointing to a very small business sector.
Health Infrastructure Non-Existent
Providing health services and treating disease has proven to be an increasing
problem in Iraq. In August of this year, the World Health Organization and other
international aid agencies have had to pull health resources from Iraq due to
funding constraints. WHO said “more than 184 centers serving refugees and
other people displaced by violence in Iraq have suspended their operations.” This
is particularly devastating as the centers were the only health care providers in
many regions of the country.
On top of the closure of health centers, water systems have broken down and
there are insufficient levels of chlorine to provide clean water. The Ministry of
Health of Iraq and WHO declared a cholera outbreak in west Baghdad and south
central regions of the country. Almost 2,000 people are suspected to have
cholera, but the Ministry of Health and WHO are attempting to keep the outbreak
under control.
Current Situation
Beyond the extreme threat of IS and health issues, the Iraqi people have begun
to protest due to chronic power shortages, increasing unemployment, and
obvious corruption in the government. At the end of August, Prime Minister Abadi

3. has attempted to respond to the people, firing corrupt members of his cabinet
and abolishing other positions. Fixing corruption and creating a strong
government would be a great step forward, but many other issues threaten the
future of the country.
While these changes are positive, many critics are quick to mention that the
government only controls half of Iraq’s territory. The northeastern region acts
almost independently as part of Kurdistan, and the northwestern region is firmly
occupied by the Islamic State. The one party staying relatively strong during the
instability is the Kurds, who have taken an active role in fighting IS. While they
have a tedious relationship with all countries in the region, their ability to hold
their territory in northeastern Iraq may prove beneficial for their dreams of an
independent state in the future.