The War in Iraq
By Chris Joseph Year 9
What were the negative effects of the US-led invasion of Iraq on the Iraqi people?
The war in Iraq was costly, highly opposed and in the end, quite disastrous. It caused a humanitarian crisis in Iraq; there were serious political consequences, economic consequences, and the destruction of Iraq’s cultural heritage and so it is difficult for anyone to justify whether or not the war was worth it.
Humanitarian Crisis
Figure A Iraqi Refugees in a UNHCR camp
Source: ccun.org Accessed: 17/09/13
The US-led invasion of Iraq in March 2003 caused many civilian casualties, but it did not immediately create a major humanitarian crisis or set off mass amounts of refugees leaving Iraq. …show more content…
However, the US follows a policy which alienates other countries in the region from helping to build a sovereign and Secure Iraq.
Speculation is also growing as to whether Iraq will be divided. The US claims that violence in the country is due to a civil war between warring religious groups (Shia, Sunni and Shiite Muslims) and that it should be separated into three regions- Sunni, Shiite and Kurdish (Figure B). This proposal was looked at in as a ‘non-binding resolution’ to the war in the US Congress in October 2007.
Iraqis argue that a divided Iraq would complicate the security problem. With little United Nations influence over the US-led occupation of Iraq, people suggest Iraq could become a ‘political protectorate’ of the US without input from regional areas and/or international approval. This will cause a multitude of problems for the United States as this show of power will not be taken lightly by the UN and the Iraqi’s themselves will not like the idea of being ‘owned’ at …show more content…
They neither took up protective positions nor attempted to stop the acts of looting and destruction, even when asked to do so by the civilians they were there to liberate in the first place. Since the most important cultural sites stood in two small areas of the city, military commanders could have taken simple steps to protect these sites. Several tanks and detachments of infantry were even stationed nearby. They could easily have intervened, but the soldiers said their orders prevented them from getting involved. Having shut down the Iraqi army and police force, Coalition military leaders exposed Iraq’s cultural treasures to great danger and almost certain destruction.
This loss of cultural heritage will affect the future generations as they will not have as many resources to learn about their heritage and culture. Their children, their children’s children, and their grandchildren will grow up will much less knowledge of their culture than the current generations