On Sept. 30, multinational forces led by U.S. troops, who had been stationed in Iraq since 2003, completed their withdrawal. Has Iraq truly become an independent and unified nation, in both name and reality? Or will it once again be swept into chaos? Unfortunately, I am far from optimistic.
A close examination of the power vacuums that have emerged in the Middle East and Persian Gulf, particularly in Iraq, suggests that the third major vacuum to arise in Iraq in the 21st century, following the complete withdrawal of coalition forces, could once again destabilize the country. History offers ample reason for concern.
Since the beginning of the 21st century, Iraq has experienced two major power vacuums. The first followed the 2003 Iraq War. With the collapse of Saddam Hussein’s regime, a vacuum emerged that was initially filled by U.S.-led coalition forces. Iraq’s democratization then proceeded under a U.S. military administration.
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