Verspricht ein dreigeteilter Irak die Lösung der Probleme des Landes?

Since the overthrow of Saddam Hussein in 2003 and breakdown of the Iraqi state, ethno-sectarian partition has become a popular political mantra. The assumption is that a federal state based on three autonomous regions – Sunni Arab, Shiite Arab and Kurd – is the most realistic way to stabilize Iraq and keep its borders intact. This claim has revived alongside the devastation and communal distrust created by the Islamic State (IS) and the territorial, demographic and political changes resulting from the campaign to counter IS.

The problem is that a tripartite Iraq has little bearing to realities on the ground, particularly in a post-IS context. Sunni Arab, Shiite Arab and Kurdish communities may be religiously and ethnically distinct and concentrated in particular regions, but they have also been dispersed across territories since the IS onslaught and are deeply fragmented. Internal boundaries and the uneven distribution of resources remain disputed between and within groups, creating additional challenges to reordering borders along clear ethno-sectarian fault lines. Instead of three self-sustaining regions, Iraq has become an amalgam of hyper-localized entities seeking self-rule and self-protection, while remaining dependent on Baghdad and prone to proxy conflicts. (…) Under these conditions, stabilization efforts should focus on strengthening state institutions and determining how the various component parts can live together. They should prioritize territorial federalism and decentralization, particularly by enhancinglocal institutions and the capabilities of provincial and regional administrations.“

(Denise Natali: „The myth of a tripartite Iraq“)

Bleiben Sie informiert!
Mit unserem wöchentlichen Newsletter erhalten Sie alle aktuellen Analysen und Kommentare unserer Experten und Autoren sowie ein Editorial des Herausgebers.

Zeigen Sie bitte Ihre Wertschätzung. Spenden Sie jetzt mit Bank oder Kreditkarte oder direkt über Ihren PayPal Account. 

Mehr zu den Themen

Das könnte Sie auch interessieren

Wir sprechen Tachles!

Abonnieren Sie unseren Newsletter und erhalten Sie einen unabhängigen Blickzu den Geschehnissen im Nahen Osten.
Bonus: Wöchentliches Editorial unseres Herausgebers!

Nur einmal wöchentlich. Versprochen!