The 2003 Iraq Invasion

         The 2003 invasion of Iraq created various long-term consequences that the US did not gage or prepare for. The region went from being controlled by three great powers to a bipolar power system. This war left a power vacuum in Iraq which ultimately contributed to deeper sectarianism and political upheaval.

       When the United States announced their invasion campaign for Iraq in 2003, the region was already divided on who they supported. Saudi Arabia allowed the US to use their air control center, Kuwait publicly announced their support for it, and Egypt opposed it strongly. The US claimed Iraq had weapons of mass destruction, and while they did in the 90s, Iraq still continued to make the world believe they did after that. Saddam Hussein did this to deter Iran from invading again, and from

claiming regional hegemony. The largest reason for instability in this region after the war was the lack of preparation for a new government in Iraq. The United States had never planned to keep troops there as long as they did, for they thought a new Iraqi government and renovation of infrastructure would be feasible in a short period of time. This was not the case, and the rise of Sunni radical groups became present as the US-backed Coalition of Provisional Authority took control.

      Sunni-Islamists groups were forming an insurgency project as the US was aiding the transition to Iraqi sovereignty. These groups bombed the Jordan embassy to show their disapproval for American presence. The new constitution for Iraq was approved in 2005 with large Sunni opposition, and the United Iraqi Alliance and Kurdistan Alliance parties had most of the power. Violence in the country increased even more at this time, and the prime minster Maliki was becoming more authoritarian throughout the years 2007-2008.

     With Iraq’s government in shambles, Iran and Saudi Arabia were competing for regional hegemony. The possibility of an Iran-US friendship ended after the Iraq War as the Islamist government wanted nothing to do with the West, and Iran was beginning to mark its territory in Iraq. Iran had political ties to Iraqi parties like SCIRI and leaders like Muqtada al-Sadr. Not only was Iran increasing its influence in Iraq, but also in other areas like Lebanon and the Gaza Strip. Iran backed the Hezbollah group who was rising against the Lebanese government and backed Hamas who took control of the Gaza Strip. Even more so, Iran was building up their nuclear arsenal.

     The fear of Iran’s increasing power was felt by Saudi Arabia the most. Saudi Arabia didn’t know how to approach the situation without direct confrontation, so they also began to increase their influence. They backed the Lebanese government in opposition to Hezbollah, and recognized Israel’s statehood. Although, while they were trying to grant Israel protection, they were simultaneously trying to make deals with Hamas to ease Iranian control. Overall, the Iraq war led to security dilemmas between Saudi Arabia and Iran, and proxy conflicts in smaller countries. Moreover, the Sunni and Shia divide was more prominent than ever, now that the third great power of the Middle East was dismantled.