Maliki makes his case

Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki was in Washington last week to talk about Iraq’s problems and the future of US-Iraq relations. Maliki’s trip culminated on Friday, with a visit to the White House to meet with President Obama and Vice President Biden.  On Thursday, Maliki spoke to a large audience at the United States Institute of Peace.

Iraq has experienced significant change since the United States withdrew its troops from the country in 2011. The economy has improved over the last few years, according to Maliki’s op-ed in the New York Times on Tuesday, with an overall expansion of 9.6 percent in 2011 and 10.5 percent in 2012. The nation’s oil production has increased by 50 percent since 2005.  Iraq is on pace to become the world’s second largest energy exporter by 2030.

But the security situation is dire. The presence of extremist groups like Al-Qaeda in Iraq has increased with the seemingly interminable and volatile situation in Syria. Sectarian tension is on the rise, with increased instances of violence.

A major focus of Maliki’s speech at USIP was Iraq’s current fight against violent extremism. He said that the resurgence of Al-Qaeda in Iraq is due to the failure of countries to fill the voids created by the Arab Spring. Since 2010, “a vacuum was created, and al-Qaeda and other terrorist organizations were able to exploit it and gain ground.” Furthermore, the crisis in Syria has provided extremist groups with a new life in the region. The lack of political, economic, and social structure in Syria has created an environment that allows groups like  the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) and Jabhat al-Nusra to thrive. Unfortunately, Iraq’s porous border with Syria has helped facilitate the flow of violent extremism into the country.

Maliki said that the nationwide divide between Sunni and Shia Muslims is not the cause of the widespread violence. Instead, it is the resurgence of extremism that is responsible for an estimated 979 deaths in October alone, according to the United Nations.  Maliki made the trip to Washington in search of answers to his nation’s security woes. He is expected to request Apache helicopters, reconnaissance drones, and assistance from American intelligence agencies to help combat violent extremism in Iraq. The prime minister also called for the international community to hold a counterterrorism conference in Iraq.

Maliki underlined that it will take time to facilitate positive change in the region. Iraq is still recuperating from the destruction caused by the Hussein regime and the eight years of US occupation.  A sound social structure is essential, to prevent terrorism from growing even more. The Iraqi government is working tirelessly to make life safe within its borders. A new strategy, based on mobilizing security forces and local cooperation, has begun to take shape.  The cooperation of the country’s most powerful ally, the United States, would give Iraq a significant advantage over the extremists.

Iraq sits in a critical position, with Israel to the West, Syria to the North, and Iran to the East. The ever-changing face of the Middle East continues to be unpredictable.  US presence is key. If the situation in Iraq is not handled correctly, it would be bad for the entire world.