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Iraq War Lessons, a Decade Later

Iraq's embrace of democracy since the 2003 war has set the stage for sectarian politics and instability by heightening internal tensions and inviting outside interference in times of crisis, writes Nassif Hitti.
Residents gather at the site of a car bomb attack in Baghdad's Sadr City,March 19, 2013. A dozen car bombs and suicide blasts tore into Shi'ite districts in Baghdad and south of the Iraqi capital on Tuesday, killing more than 50 people on the 10th anniversary of the U.S.-led invasion that ousted Saddam Hussein. REUTERS/Wissm al-Okili (IRAQ - Tags: CONFLICT CIVIL UNREST) - RTR3F6NC

Certain important lessons have emerged a decade after the 2003 Iraq War. First and foremost, democracy cannot be imposed from above, delivered through a shot in the arm or overnight decree. It is a process that must be accompanied by other variables and initiated not on behalf of Iraqis, but by Iraqis. This could allow for consideration of the societal and historical contexts that weigh heavily on its development.

Second, the breakdown of pivotal state institutions, such as the army and administration, created a power vacuum. This is a typical trait of societies that fail in the important task of building national and political institutions when regimes co-opt political life and limit societal participation. This is also the case when secular ideologies retreat to the advantage of subnational ones — whether sectarian, ethnic or tribal identities — due to national construction only at the official level. Such a vacuum will be filled by people aligned around groups representing primary solidarities. Such configurations of power can obstruct the normal development of democratic life.

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