Iraq since 2003: Reflections on 20 Years of Political Change

Twenty years ago, U.S. forces invaded Iraq in March 2003, under claims that Saddam Hussain owned weapons of mass destruction. The fall of the Baath regime had been a distant hope for many in Iraq, who believed the regime would survive for many more years. The invasion produced winners and losers, and Iraq was unprepared for what would unfold in the following years. This paper investigates the aftermath of the U.S. invasion of Iraq, considering how and why U.S. forces changed Iraq's political fabric and the whole region. The article explores the different factions within Iraq and their attitude toward the U.S. occupation. It mainly compares how events played out differently in the north and southern regions of the country, arguing that the different outcomes resulted from Iraq's previous political culture, including past systems of government, grievances, a politics of mistrust, and a suppressed identity crisis.