Nearly 20 years have passed since the outbreak of the Iraq War in 2003. In recent years, with the withdrawal of Western countries led by the United States and the collapse of the terrorist organization "Islamic State", Iraq has been forgotten and ignored by the international community for a long time. However, in fact, in the past 20 years, Iraq has been a "hot zone" where various conflicts continue to erupt, and it is a "wrestling field" for multi-power struggles.
Last week, bloodshed erupted in the Iraqi capital, Baghdad, which escalated sharply. The U.N. mission in Iraq even commented that Iraq was "in danger of survival."
On August 29, local time, in Baghdad, the capital of Iraq, thousands of demonstrators broke into the green area and even rushed into the Prime Minister's Palace.
The green area is a so-called "green area" divided in the "prime area" of the city center after the US military occupied Baghdad in 2003. Numerous U.S. military agencies are concentrated here. After the withdrawal of U.S. troops, it became the seat of Iraqi government agencies. To some Iraqis, it is full of corrupt "Western colonialism" overtones.
Protesters: Our revolution is to fight corruption, and the people want Iraq to reform and eradicate corruption.
Outside the green zone, there was an exchange of fire between angry factional militias and government security forces. On the 29th, the Iraqi military announced the implementation of an indefinite curfew nationwide. As of August 30, the bloody clashes had killed at least 30 people and injured hundreds more.
Iraqi Caretaker Prime Minister Kadimi: The weapons used yesterday were a waste of money, a waste of blood and a waste of opportunity, and these weapons should be used to defend Iraq, not in a power conflict.
On August 29, Iraqi Shiite religious leader Al-Sadr announced on social media that he would withdraw from politics in response to a thorny political impasse, and that institutions related to the "Sadr Movement" he led would also be closed.
The announcement came hours after the protests, which had lasted for a month, escalated rapidly.
Thousands of Sadr supporters toppled barricades in Baghdad's "green zone" and forced their way into government buildings, including the Palace of the Republic.
According to The New York Times, Sadr, born into a prominent religious family, is Iraq's most influential Shiite politician. Known for being anti-Saddam, anti-American, and anti-Iranian during the Iraq War, it could rally hundreds of thousands of followers at any time.
Now, Iraqi caretaker Prime Minister Al-Khadimi has called on all parties to exercise restraint and demanded that protesters withdraw from the "green zone."
But Kadimi's appeal has not calmed the situation. According to Al Jazeera, in the city of Baghdad, the two sides used mortars and rockets to shoot each other, and at one point it was not clear who was firing on whom, and the scene was chaotic.
Iraqi Caretaker Prime Minister Al-Khadimi: I hereby warn that if they want to continue to create chaos, conflict, disagreement and quarrel, they will not listen to the voices of reason. I would like to take a moral and patriotic step by announcing my resignation in due course, in accordance with article 81 of the Iraqi Constitution.
On the evening of 29 August, Sadr announced that he would go on a hunger strike until the violence ended. On the afternoon of the 30th, he made another televised speech, saying that he had originally hoped for a peaceful rally, not armed protest. He demanded that all supporters who had broken into Baghdad's "green zone" withdraw within 60 minutes.
Sadr, Iraqi Shiite religious leader: After my country became a prisoner of corruption, it is now unfortunate to be a prisoner of corrupt violence.
However, in the eyes of The New York Times, the conflict may have been just the beginning of chaos in Iraq.
Zaidan, a non-resident fellow at the Arab Center in Washington, D.C.: This is a political struggle between two different parties, one side trying to maintain the "deliberative democracy" consensus in Iraq (under US control) in 2003. On the other side is the soldier movement, which seeks to reform Iraq's political system.
In October 2021, Iraq held elections for a new National Assembly. At that time, out of a total of 329 seats, the "Sadr Movement" won 73 seats, becoming the largest party in parliament and giving priority to the formation of a cabinet.
Al-Sadr, Iraqi Shiite religious leader: We welcome all embassies that do not interfere in Iraq's internal affairs, as long as they do not interfere in Iraqi affairs and in the formation of the Iraqi government.
In the eyes of some Western media, Sadr is a "populist" who is firmly anti-American. However, after the election, Sadr's Shiite political opponent, the Fatah coalition, refused to recognize the results.
In January, at the first session of Iraq's new National Assembly, there was a fierce quarrel between the representatives of the various factions over the composition of the largest group, and the scene was chaotic, which for a time led to the suspension of the meeting.
In June, in Protest, members of the Sadr Movement resigned en masse due to the failure to form a majority government as desired. This also makes the Fatah Alliance the largest party in Parliament. According to Agence France-Presse, the Fatah coalition had elected a new prime minister, which was firmly opposed by Sadr.
Political analyst Hamza Mustafa: The withdrawal of the Sadr movement from parliament has triggered a huge political crisis, they are the largest group in parliament, and the withdrawal of the largest group from parliament is unprecedented.
At the end of July, Sadr's supporters began demonstrating in several Iraqi provinces.
On the 27th and 30th, two large-scale protest demonstrations broke out in Baghdad, the capital of Iraq, and the demonstrators broke through the barricades twice, broke into the green area, and rushed into the parliament, and the scene was out of control for a while.
Sadr insisted on early elections and the dissolution of Parliament. He said that since the United States invaded Iraq in 2003 and transplanted "American-style democracy", no popular politician has been able to hold public office.
Sadr: I believe most people are completely tired of the ruling class, including some people who belong to the (Sadr) movement. So, with the help of my presence to end the corruption. Those old faces, no matter which party they are loyal to, should not appear again.
However, Sadr's counterattack also failed to force the Fatah alliance to back down, until August 29, When Sadr announced his withdrawal from politics, completely igniting the anger of his supporters, the demonstrations turned into riots.
However, according to incomplete statistics, since 2019, Sadr has announced his "withdrawal from politics" eight times, but it is not more than half a year, and the shortest one has lasted less than a day.
Hussein Arabi, a member of the Iraqi Parliament: We all agree that we have failed in forming a new government, which may lead to our re-election. But some parties are divided over re-elections or the dissolution of Parliament, and I think that at the moment only the parties are sitting at the same negotiating table.
Iraqi economist Bassam Antoine worries that the current situation could lead to a massive withdrawal of investors, increasing unemployment and poverty.
According to the World Bank, Iraq's per capita GDP was $10,356 in 1990, but only $4,157 in 2020.
Hussein Ali, street vendor: The market here is gone and there's nothing to sell.
Local vegetable vendors: The problem is not solved, it is getting worse and worse, life is getting harder every day, there is no work to do, everyone is miserable.
Some analysts believe that since October last year, the Iraqi people have repeatedly taken to the streets to protest, on the one hand, because they are dissatisfied with the new government's delay in forming a cabinet, on the other hand, they are also venting about high unemployment and unsustainable life.
Political analyst Hamza Mustafa: The delay in forming the cabinet has had a lot of negative effects on Iraq, and iraq does not have a government budget for the new year, which is not true.
On the streets of Iraq's major cities, young children who have dropped out of school to work are everywhere.
Government official: How old are you?
Local children in Baghdad: 10 years
Government official: 10 years old, don't go to school?
Local children in Baghdad: No, I pick up cans on the street.
Government official: How much money do you make each month?
Local children in Baghdad: 50 points, 25 points.
Government official: That's too little, too little.
Local Baghdad: He wants to go back to school, but I don't even have the money to buy him clothes and books. What am I going to do?
In June, UNICEF issued a statement saying that some 4.5 million people in Iraq, most of whom are children, are at risk of poverty as a result of protracted conflict and COVID-19. About one in two children is at risk of being disenfranchised in the areas of education, health, living environment and economic security.
Political analysts pointed out that the current political crisis in Iraq is unprecedented, there is no shortcut out of the crisis, and we can only hope that mutual trust can be reached among the various parties and the Iraqi government can be formed into a cabinet.
On the face of it, the reason for this round of violent conflict in Iraq is the long-standing political impasse and the "difficulty" of the new government to form a cabinet. But if we go back to the roots, the destruction of Iraq began precisely with the U.S. invasion in 2003.
In 2003, the United States brazenly launched the Iraq War and forcibly implanted "American-style democracy" after the war.
However, the so-called "democratic transformation" that has lasted for nearly 20 years has not only brought deep humanitarian disasters to Iraqis, but also laid the foundation for the country's endless source of turmoil.
In a speech in May, former U.S. President George W. Bush spoke of an unexpected slip of the tongue when Russia launched a special military operation against Ukraine, which once again provoked the anger of Iraqis.
Former U.S. President Bush: One man made the decision to launch an unjust and barbaric invasion of Iraq. I mean Ukraine, anyway, I'm 75 years old.
In response, Iraqi journalist Janabee commented on Twitter that "the specter of invasion and destruction of Iraq has always haunted George W. Bush." When the ghost occupies his tongue, the subconscious mind exposes it. Yes, it was a brutal and unjustified invasion that would be your worst nightmare. ”
Then-US President George W. Bush: The tyrant fell, Iraq was free.
In May 2003, then-U.S. President George W. Bush stood on the aircraft carrier USS Lincoln and declared the end of a major campaign against Iraq. However, he did not know that the real war had just begun.
News report: A huge explosion today killed more than 20 people. The whole city was in chaos. It was the deadliest blow to the U.S. military. The bodies have been found, both by police and by security personnel. Today, a car explosion occurred in the Iraqi city of Basra. Rocket attacks happen every day. Why iraq is liberated is becoming more and more like being occupied.
On March 20, 2003, the United States and its allies brazenly invaded Iraq on the grounds that Iraq had weapons of mass destruction, bypassing the United Nations Security Council. To this day, the United States has not been able to produce evidence of weapons of mass destruction. The war, on the other hand, has led to the devastation and continued unrest in Iraq, with frequent terrorist attacks and sectarian clashes. According to the Watson Institute of International and Public Affairs in the United States, at least 180,000 to 200,000 Iraqi civilians died in the Iraq War.
In February 2003, during a special air-to-air conversation, the young man who greeted the American people was named Waleed, who was only 18 years old at the time.
When he heard that the Americans were coming to Iraq to overthrow Saddam Hussein's regime, he naively thought that when the Americans came, they could eat hamburger fries and enjoy rock music.
However, the dream eventually turned into a nightmare of a lifetime.
After the war began, Walid began working as an assistant and translator for journalists from all over the world, following them around the world.
Walid, An Iraqi-American media person: We're going to Haifa Street to do a follow-up report on the bombing of a Humvee.
The explosion resulted in the death of 5 innocent children and 12 children injured to varying degrees, including a girl who completely lost her right eye. 17 years later, Allah is facing the camera again and recounting her experience.
Iraqi girl Alaa: It was the third day of my exams, and on my way home after my exams, a U.S. Army Hummer passed by. The militants fired a rocket at it, and the shrapnel went through my left cheek and nose, hitting me in the eye. My cheeks were scratched, and I was covered in blood and kept hearing noise. The last thing I said was, leave me alone, I'll have to review for a math exam. Then they took me to the hospital, and then I lost consciousness.
At the time, Ala said, no one thought she would survive. Neither a little girl nor a woman from her neighbor survived.
Allah's Neighbor: What did we get from Bush? What did you get? My child is dead. Hopefully God will curse Bush and America. What they did, ended up like this. You are playing with our lives, and My child is dead.
Iraqi girl Allah: I hate them for coming to Iraq, I never wanted to hurt anyone. But I hope they get the retribution they deserve, and that's your fault, America.
In 2004, Walid traveled to Canada as a refugee via Jordan until eight years later, when he was granted permanent resident status, during which time he never returned to Iraq.
Walid, Iraqi-American media personality: I'm ashamed that I survived, the people you love the most are still in the most dangerous places on earth, and they can die at any moment.
Born during saddam's time, Iraqi refugee Green witnessed the Americans' journey from invasion to evacuation. Today, she firmly believes that the U.S. military will not bring peace and stability to Iraq at all.
Green: If the United States wants to bring stability to Iraq, it needs to build peace throughout the region. However, as long as the United States remains in Iraq, it is destined to favor one side to suppress the other, which will only exacerbate regional conflicts.
THEN-US PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA: Our country has been fighting in Iraq for the last 9 years. Now the army is preparing for its final march, crossing the border and leaving the country. The future of Iraq will be in the hands of its own people, and we will end the war there.
In December 2011, then-U.S. President Barack Obama announced the withdrawal of all troops from Iraq and claimed to return Iraq to Iraqis. In fact, however, the U.S.-sponsored Iraqi regime has suffered more.
According to the Website Iraq Body Count, a British NGO, there were an average of about 3,400 terrorist attacks per year in Iraq over the 19 years from 2003 to 2021, meaning that there were nearly 10 terrorist attacks in Iraq in a single day, and each attack resulted in the deaths of an average of four innocent people.
Iraqi people Dahani: The army bombed, the terrorist organization "Islamic State" bombed, and the civilian population was caught in the middle. One of our fathers said to his child, I'm sorry, I'm sorry I brought you into this world and couldn't take care of you. Sorry to let you walk barefoot in such cold weather. Sorry, everyone abandoned us. I'm really sorry we live in this country.
Some analysts have pointed out that the war in Iraq has left a very complicated political situation in Iraq and even the entire Middle East region.
Domestic political contradictions, sectarian conflicts that emerged after the war, the game of regional powers, and the disputes over the interests of foreign powers have made Iraq difficult on the road to restoring stability, and have also made the US-led war on terrorism completely a laughingstock.
Dr. Ahmed Sharifi, expert on Iraqi strategy: In my opinion, the purpose of the US invasion of Iraq was not to overthrow the dictatorship, to help Iraq achieve democracy for the well-being of the Iraqi people, as it said, but to strengthen the dominance of the United States in the Middle East.
Foreign Policy magazine criticized: "The Iraq we left behind: Welcome to the world's next failed country." "However, Iraq is not the only country that has been trampled and ravaged by the United States.
On August 31, the first anniversary of the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan. On the same day, the Afghan capital, Kabul, held many celebrations to celebrate the withdrawal of the United States from Afghanistan a year ago.
Sangal Ahmadi, a local resident: The arrival of the United States has left our country in tatters, they have not done any infrastructure here, they have come and gone.
Late last August 30, as the last U.S. military C-17 transport plane took off from Kabul International Airport, the 20-year war in Afghanistan ended in the eclipse of U.S. troops.
According to harvard's Kennedy School and Brown University's Cost of War Project, the protracted war killed at least 240,000 people, including more than 47,000 Afghan civilians.
Abdel Haq Imad, head of the press and publications department of the Ministry of Information and Culture of the Afghan Interim Government: The U.S. military has killed a large number of Afghans in the past 20 years. The weapons used by the U.S. military are so lethal that I think those weapons are not just designed for killing, but can even blow huge mountains to pieces.
After the withdrawal of the US troops, what was left was a devastated mess and the people were not happy. Not only that, the United States also announced economic sanctions against the Afghan government, freezing $7 billion in assets of the Afghan central bank and diverting half of it for its own use, which made the life of the Afghan people worse.
Afghan human rights activist Ghanim: Since the decline in international humanitarian assistance, afghanistan's development has been greatly affected, with many families poorer than before, especially those displaced by war.
According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, at least 800,000 Afghans, 80 percent of whom were women and children, were forcibly displaced by the war in 2021 alone. In the northwestern Afghan city of Herat, a large population is refugees with nothing. Trafficking in children is widespread here.
Abdullah, head of the local children's rescue center: We have information that 40 families have sold one of their children. The price per child is Afghani 50,000, 80,000 or 100,000.
Local people: There are no jobs here, no one to help us. So we had to sell our kids because we were so hungry.
According to the latest statistics from the United Nations, about 6 million people in Afghanistan are now threatened by famine due to multiple climate, economic and humanitarian crises.
Acting Deputy Prime Minister of the Interim Government of Afghanistan, Hanafi: On the one hand, they have frozen our funds, and on the other hand, they have said that poverty has increased here and unemployment has increased.
Over the past year, Afghanistan has faced the weight of continued currency depreciation, rising prices and frequent natural disasters, and the lives of ordinary people have been miserable. In addition, The weak infrastructure in Afghanistan, the serious shortage of professional talents, and the lack of development of many industries are all serious threats to the "hematopoietic function" of Afghanistan's own development.
During the 20-year war in Afghanistan, the United States defined terrorist organizations according to its own needs and selectively counter-terrorism to achieve its geopolitical goals, which led to the number of terrorist organizations in Afghanistan from single digits 20 years ago to more than 20 today.
Afghan political analyst Akbarri: You see, wherever the Americans go, they destroy, first Iraq and then Syria. I think the U.S. credit in the world is below zero.
From Iraq to Afghanistan, the U.S. invasion and occupation left nothing but endless turmoil and pain.
British political analyst Yingluckesh pointedly pointed out that the ongoing chaos in Countries such as Iraq, Libya and Afghanistan is a direct result of the United States' attempt to export its world order, in which all other countries have to bow to Western hegemony.
In his book "The Great Middle East War", the American military historian Baswich warned that in order to end the dangerous mistakes it made in the Middle East, the United States must abandon its delusion of transforming the world and pay more attention to its own reconstruction.
Source: CCTV news client