Introduction

I'm going to Iraq. I can't believe I'm saying this. After nearly a decade of constant CNN news report on the U.S war in Iraq as well as three decades of regional unrest in general, I'm going to Iraq.

As a dedicated student of International Studies, I felt it my personal duty to set aside safety concerns to pursue the most valuable diplomatic activity in modern political history: Traveling as a Political Act.


First things first, to address the issue of "America's geographical illiteracy", here is Iraq:

http://education.randmcnally.com/classroom/rmc/viewLargerMapImage.do?geoEntityType=Country&geoEntityName=Iraq

Once the center of the ancient civilization of Mesopotamia, Iraq has certainly held an important spot in Middle Eastern affairs throughout history. As you can see from the map, Iraq boarders Jordan, Syria, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Kuwait and Iran, many of which have been at war either with or against Iraq at one point or another in history. The details of this complicated alliance/enemy relationship as well as the area's resourcefulness will be explained later in the blog.


Now back to my pre-travel blog. Names like The Gulf War, Iraq War, Iran-Iraq War, Iraqi Freedom, Desert Storm, Desert Shield etc etc have made Iraq the center of world's many important issues. This little desert nation that is barely 3/5 of the size of Texas somehow grabbed the utmost of America's economic, political and military attention for nearly a decade! How is Iraq doing now that the U.S troops have pulled out? I wondered...


Thousands of American men and women went over and never came back from this place. As I planned my journey, I couldn't help but question, will I become the 4871st casualty? Dead journalists are not a rare sight in the world at all. Especially in 2014, when video taped beheading procedures somehow caught a trend among extremists organizations. Nonetheless, I've made my decision. This journey is not for the faint of heart mind you. Any journalist, or high school International Studies student who is worth his salt need to come to Iraq to truly experience this crisis.

TRAVELING AS A POLITICAL ACT enables tourists to come home smarter, not fatter. In order to make travel a political act, one must open his or her current identity to other cultures, religions and political ideas.  When practiced correctly, people of all different backgrounds will be able to relate to and sympathize for issues around the globe.

The Arrival

If you think I am frightened by this, then you are truly mistaken.

Like most countries, Iraq requires a visa for entry.  Unlike most countries, an Iraqi visa is actually fairly difficult to obtain, especially for an American. I tried my luck applying at the Embassy of Iraq to not much of a surprise: "REJECTED". Then, I found an alternative way to enter Iraq. A traveler without a visa can cross the Turkish boarder into northern Iraq at a mere fee of $80 USD. This is my only available option, so I took it.

I went on Kayak and booked the first available flight to and from Gaziantep, Turkey. The round-trip ticket from United came out at $1,517. Not bad, I really hope that I actually get to use the return ticket though.

I paid my 25 euro fare and boarded the train heading to Mosul, Iraq.  The trains had been discontinued for the past two decades, only very recently returning to a weekly service. The route will take roughly 17 hours through Turkish, Syrian, then finally Iraqi territory. As a looked out to the desert horizon, the vast emptiness made life seem so calm and peaceful. Nonetheless, I quickly brushed off that thought as images of violence, poverty and unrest returned.  How could anyone live here in the desert? I didn't think anyone could, but I know that people do, for centuries. The steady sound of the spinning wheels carried my mind to the train attack scene from Lawrence of Arabia. Does my God exist in Iraq? I prayed for a safe trip.

At 2 pm the next day, the train halted in Mosul.  A major city nearby is Arbil, in the province of Arbil.  After a further 2 hour drive there, under heavy protection of course, I checked into the Divan Erbil (interchangeable with Arbil) Hotel.  Where is the Iraq I know from CNN? None of the buildings are blown up? What? So many questions shot through my head. Nonetheless, I was too tired at the moment to concern myself with those matters. The hotel is 5 stars, the rooms are lavish, and I was ready to sleep away in this clone of the classic Western styled hotel room. Cheers to globalization.

Historical Background

http://6thfloor.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/03/16/bahrain-the-widening-gulf/

To understand MENA, one must understand the nature of Islam.  Two main sects of Islam exist currently, Sunni and Shia. The majority of the world follows Sunni Islam EXCEPT the region around Iran and bits of the Mediterranean Sea coast.  Sunni and Shia Muslims have different beliefs regarding the selection of religious leaders;  Iraq however, is a very special case since the country is divided between 60-65% Shiaa, 32-37% Sunni and also large numbers of Christians and other followers.

Olive Tree: Mesopotamian heritage. Multicultural nation, although Saddam era had Sunni ruling.

Regarding diversity, Iraq actually ranks ahead of many other MENA countries in providing a multicultural environment. After all, Iraq is the birthplace to one of the earliest civilizations, Mesopotamia. In the evening, locals and travelers alike flood the crowded market streets to shop their favorite grub.

http://www.theiraqpavilion.com/markets-in-erbil/

Erbil's marketplace, like all the other marketplaces in Iraq, excellently demonstrates the nation's rich diversity. Even in the air, the smell of different spices and cuisines intermix to form an individualistic, yet unified sensory, much like the nation Iraq itself. 

With a variety like this, you'll never leave the market with an empty belly.

http://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/picture-taken-on-june-28-2014-shows-food-grains-and-spices-news-photo/451368066

Some important dates in recent Iraqi history:

1948: Iraq and other Arab countries launch an unsuccessful war against Israel, which had declared statehood that year.

1958: A military coup overthrows the monarchy, kills King Faisal II, and declares Iraq a republic. General Abdul Karim Kassem becomes Iraq's leader, and begins reversing the monarchy's pro-western policies (July 14).

1963: Kassem is killed in a coup led Colonel Abd al-Salam Aref and the military as well as members of the Ba'ath party (Feb. 8). TheBa'ath party, founded in Syria, advocates pan-Arabism, secularism, and socialism. Colonel Aref becomes president, Ahmed Hasan al-Bakr of the Ba'ath Party becomes president.

1973: Iraq fights in the Arab-Israeli War (The Yom Kippur War) and participates in the oil boycott against Israel's supporters. Creation of OPEC

1980: Iran-Iraq War over territory and religious concerns (Shia Uprising)

1990-1991: Iraq invades Kuwait, beat down by America. 

1996: UN allows Iraq to export "oil for food". Humanitarian effort.

Summary: Continuous unrest and foreign/domestic conflicts due to religious/economic/political differences. Lack of understanding; Iraqi diplomats need to travel as a political act.

Source: http://www.infoplease.com/spot/iraqtimeline1.html

21st Century Iraq

Now that we are starting to divulge Iraq's contemporary issues, it is only fitting to travel to its capital Baghdad, one of the hottest spots during the war.

Baghdad 1965 

Baghdad 1991

Baghdad 2008

Forward Progress

Some important dates:

March 23, 2003: U.S troops deploy to Iraq

December 30, 2006: Saddam Hussein sentenced to death

December 15, 2011: Last U.S troop leaves Iraq

After US forces returned Iraq to its native governance, the world held many concerns and doubts about the future of Iraq. As we walked familiar roads, many significant changes were visibly noticeable:

Baghdad Today:

Saddam Hussein executed and the former Ba'ath party overthrew

U.S. forces shifting security responsibilities to the Iraqi armed forces.

Iraq attempts to rebuild after so many years of war.

(http://www.cbsnews.com/pictures/iraq-then-and-now/)

Tourism in Iraq even caught up:



New Dilema:

At this point in late 2011, U.S. forces had been training and resourcing the Iraqi "friendlies" for years. Nonetheless, the constant issues of insurgency and accountability still exist to restrict the new generation of Iraqis to bring their country to its full potential.  Sure enough, no more than three years later, new problems brought Iraq back to the headlines once again. 

ISIS/ISIL: Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant

ISIL/ISIS declared their establishment on April 8, 2013 with extremist goals of Islamic conquest and expansion.  

June 16, 2014: Two and a half years after our departure, we returned to Iraq like General MacArthur returning to the Philippines, expect much less applauded, planned, anticipated or desired.. 

CBSNews: 300 More U.S. Troops Headed to Iraq

Future Outlooks and Conclusion

Iraq's Treasure Chest: Oil

Aside from the ISIL/ISIS issue...

Lexus: OPEC, petroleum industry - world's 12th largest oil producer in 2009 and has the world's 5th largest proven oil reserves.

http://www.eia.gov/cfapps/ipdbproject/IEDIndex3.cfm?tid=5&pid=57&aid=6

What do almost every single MENA country on this list have in common? None of them have an excellent relationship with the U.S (other than maybe Kuwait). This day and age, when the whole world is so dependent upon each other for economy and resources, foreign policy failures hurt not only America's image, but also Americans' wallets. 

Conclusion:

"We have no permanent allies, 

we have no permanent enemies, 

we only have permanent interests".

                              - Henry Temple, 3rd Viscount Palmerston

Examples: 1980 Iran-Iraq War. (U.S Supported Iraq)

                  1990 Gulf War (U.S fought Iraq)

                  1979-1989 Soviet-Afghan War (U.S supported Taliban)

                  Gaffafi of Egypt (Installed by U.S. in 1969, removed in 2011)

Postive example: Great Britain, US relationship. From Revolutionary War to Strong Allies.

Set aside olive trees, Lexus, politics and build real, meaningful, multinational relationships. There are so much room for relationship building; so much room for young travelers to politically advance relations in Iraq and the rest of the Middle East.

                  

BRIGHT BRIGHT FUTURES FOR IRAQ.