Iraq as One of the Most Significant country in the Persian Gulf - Essay Example

Iraq Introduction Located in southwestern Asia, Iraq is a country with significant influence and strategic significance within the Persian Gulf. The country has predominantly Arab neighbors from different sides including the republic of Kuwait, Jordan, Syria and Saudi Arabia. Other neighbors such as turkey and Iran are non-Arab but have strategic significance to its development, political stability and security. Baghdad is the capital city in Iraq, is also one of the largest cities in the region with over 180 square miles in size, and is home to a big proportion of the country’s population (Bengio 45). According to the 2000 population census, Iraq had a population of over 23 million people with a significant proportion of this living within the arable agricultural areas between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers. In this paper, a political and economic profile of Iraq will be discussed to demonstrate its political and economic relevance in the region (Katzman, 1). Political and leadership system in Iraq The political and leadership structure in Iraq today has witnessed significant evolution over the years with episodes of tyrannical leadership and autocracy. However, the second Persian Gulf conflict enabled Iraq to usher in a federal parliamentary system of government that has various level of political governance. The country practices multiparty democracy in which different parties are allowed to engage in the political and elective competition in the country for various representations in the national and regional parliaments (Roggio and Ardolino). Apart from the prime minister, the president of the republic of Iraq with the help of the parliamentary arm and the federation council also heads the executive. Today, Haider Al-Abadi is the prime minister of the republic of Iraq and is empowered by the constitution of the country to appoint council of ministers and other members of the cabinet (Bengio 45). The constitution of Iraq define the country as an Islamic country that embrace democratic ideals supported by a federal parliamentary system in which various levels of government are adopted. Apart from the executive, other arms of the federal government of Iraq include the legislature, the judiciary and other commissions that are tasked with various responsibilities in managing the country (Katsumata and Amitav 59). Parliament in Iraq is mandated with various legislative roles including the ratification of various international agreements and statutes. Appointments made by the executive of Iraq must also be ratified by the parliament before they can be allowed to undertake their constitutional roles (Katzman 1). The democratization of Iraq has also contributed to the emergence of an independent and strong judicial wing led by the Supreme Court and the judicial council. A number of high commissions and councils of representatives have been instituted in Iraq to undertake various executive roles including oversight and anti-graft bodies. These commissions are independent are only under the control of the parliamentary council of representatives which has the constitutional authority to question their roles and misdemeanor (Ardolino A). Economic infrastructure of Iraq Though the second gulf war affected the infrastructural economics of Iraq, the country has remained on top of its performance by maintaining its transport, communication and energy sector. The country has extensive road network with over 46,000 tarmacked roads and extensive non-formal road transport network (Bengio 45). Iraq has also developed a strong and functional rail transport network; include the underground rail subway known as the Baghdad metro service. As compared to other countries in southwestern Asia, Iraq has a more robust air transport system supported by over 100 airports and airstrips in different parts of the country. International airports in Iraq include Baghdad, Basra, Mosul, Erbil, Sulaimaniyah and Najaf international airports, which have the capacity for international passenger planes (Ardolino A). Electricity remains a major challenge to the growth of Iraqi economy due to persistent power outages associated by the high level of suicide bombs in the country. Apart from the capital city, other towns in the country have unstable power supply and this affects industrial and agricultural production in such areas. The country has also developed a reliable oil transport pipeline that move crude oils and natural gas from the oil fields to other parts of the country for refining (Ardolino A). The communication system and infrastructure in Iraq has also been interrupted by the 2003 Iraq war, a situation that has affected the level of communication in the country. However, international organizations such as USAID have embarked on an expansive mission to restore the communication system in the country through the development of mobile and satellite communication facilities. Health facilities have also been affected by the high number of internal aggressions in the country caused by terror organization such as the Taliban and Islamic state (Elliot). Iraqi’s economy is predominantly dependent on the oil revenue, which forms part of over 90% of its foreign exchange as compared to other countries in the region. Though the strings of war affected oil trade in the region during the beginning of this century, the country has emerged to become a top oil exporter in the region (Roggio and Ardolino). The democratization of Iraq has provided a serene environment for oil export business in the country and this has contributed to the growth of the country’s economy. However, inflation and unemployment has affected the economic sanctity of the country, as the gross domestic product has remained relatively low as compared to other economies in the country (Ardolino A). Iraqi army order of battle An order of battle is the units that are developed by an army to provide a structured level of command within the discipline forces. As a result, armies have different levels of leadership, number of superior and subordinate members, which affect their roles and service in different armed conflicts. In the Iraq, the army order of battle includes various members of the country’s armed forces, which are made of the regular army, the special unit, the navy and the country’s air force. Though Iraq has a number of militias and insurgent forces, they are not included in the country’s order of battle, as they are not recognized by the country’s constitution (Elliot). The Iraqi army is organized into 14 battalions though this has been affected by the dominance of the Islamic state within the northern part of the country. The first presidential protection parade is the highest order of battle within the country’s army and is made up of different divisions. These include the first, fourth, seventh and 15th division, which is supported by the engineering infrastructure battalion of the Iraq armed forces. The second presidential protection brigade that forms part of the ground force is the second highest battalion and is made up of over seven divisions together with the Iraqi training brigade. In 2015, the country’s leadership eliminated the Baghdad brigade, which is made up of five different divisions including the 3rd army infrastructure debate (Ardolino B). Iraqi foreign policy Iraqi foreign policy has witnessed significant changes since the end of the era of Saddam Hussein, a dictator who influenced the country’s political and foreign relations. While the regime of Hussein had better relations with countries such as the Soviet Union, France and Germany, the United States and Israel were its erstwhile rivals. The relationship between Iraq and most Arab countries such as Egypt and Lebanon has been inconsistent, influenced most of the time by the leadership of the country and the security situation in the region (Elliot). Iran and Kuwait were political enemies of Iraq during the reign of Hussein but this change in 2008 when a new democratic environment was created. In 2005, Iraq ratified a declaration with members of the European Union, which has guided their trade and commerce relations and created a robust environment for trade. The country also has robust and beneficial international relations with the United States with its embassy in Washington DC considered as one of its major diplomatic office in a foreign country. Through the ministry of foreign affairs, the country has entered into global partnership with other western countries including Australia, Britain and Canada. Works cited Elliot, Dj. Iraqi security forces order of battle: August 2007 update. The long war journal, 2007. Web. 27 Jan. 2015 Ardolino, Bill (1). Inside Iraqi politics-part 1: Examining the executive branch. The long war journal, 2008. Web. 27 Jan. 2015 Ardolino, Bill (2). Inside Iraqi politics-part 5- A look at legislative progress: Sunnis’ and states’ rights. The long war journal, 2008. Web. 27 Jan. 2015 Katzman, Kenneth. "Iraq: Politics, Governance, and Human Rights." Congressional Research Service: Report (2014): 1. Bengio, Ofra. "Iraq's New Political Elites: A Dream Come True?" MERIA Journal 13.4 (2009): 34-50. Katsumata, Hiro and Amitav Acharya. Beyond Iraq: The Future Of World Order. Singapore: World Scientific, 2011. Print. Roggio, Bill and Ardolino, Bill. Analysis: A protracted struggle ahead for Iraq. The long war journal, 2014. Web. 27 Jan. 2015 http://www.longwarjournal.org/archives/2014/06/analysis_a_protracte.php Read More