The Iraq War

The Third Gulf War, commonly known as "The Iraq War," is not the only war that raged in Iraq in the 21st century. However, it is a significant factor, as the resulting disasters, both humanitarian and administrative, facilitated the rise of ISIS.

A Breeding Ground for Extremist Organizations

After George W. Bush declared the war over on May 1, 2003, it quickly became apparent that no plan existed for the post-victory situation in Iraq. The lack of any long-term strategy eroded the Iraqi population's trust in the U.S. military, which was increasingly perceived as an occupier [IQ1]. Furthermore, the dismissal of all officials and soldiers from service if links were found between them and the Ba'ath Party, the political party of former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein, left many people destitute and frustrated on the streets [IQ1]. Extremist organizations, including the Islamic State (IS), have exploited this discontent [IQ2].

Religion as a Driver of Conflict

Here is a brief digression: Iraq, like many Arab countries, is divided among various religious groups within its population, each adhering to different interpretations of Islam. However, nowadays it is difficult to distinguish where religion ends and politics begins among these groups [IQ3]. The topic is highly complex and cannot be fully explored here without exceeding the scope of this discussion. It should be noted, however, that fierce animosity exists between these groups, sometimes influencing the foreign policy of predominantly Muslim countries toward other predominantly Muslim countries [IQ3]. The two most significant of these groups are the Sunnis, who constitute the majority of Muslims worldwide, and the Shiites, to whom the majority of the population in Iraq and Iran belong [IQ3]. ISIS exploits this competition between different religious communities to recruit members [IQ3, IQ4]. Thus, ISIS, supported by the other terrorist organization al-Qaeda, increasingly attacked Shiite holy sites, figures, and cultural artifacts. The aim was to provoke a religious civil war in Iraq, in which ISIS sought to position itself as the leading voice of the Sunni population [IQ2]. Cultural annihilation and the destruction of anything deemed non-orthodox by ISIS is therefore a key component of this group's strategy.

Further Civil War from 2006 Onward

Despite setbacks in a civil war they themselves provoked in Iraq in 2006, ISIS remains a significant power, particularly in northern Iraq [IQ2]. When the US military withdrew its last troops from the country in December 2011, the violence escalated [IQ1]. By 2014, the Islamic State was indeed powerful enough to capture Mosul, Iraq's second-largest city [IQ1, IQ4]. This was followed by a second, longer civil war and the third war in Iraq in the 21st century [IQ1]. Only with the support of Iran and the United States was the Iraqi government able to first push back IS in the south and finally even drive it completely out of the country in 2017 [IQ5, IQ6].