Iraq

6 Pages 1471 Words

Introduction
Modern Iraq occupies the area of the Middle East that has a long history of civilization—from Sumer to Chaldea to Babylonia and Assyria to Medes-Persians to the Greeks and Romans—four thousand years, in the land governed by the ebb and flow of the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers (Harris 9-14, Metz 3). Iraq is a land of diverse people, both in terms of ethnic origins and in religious beliefs. It is an ancient land that has existed under a variety of governments.

A Brief History

Modern Iraq had its beginnings coming out of the breakup of the Ottoman Turk Empire after World War I. The area was placed under a British Mandate by the League of Nations (Harris 1). In 1921, Iraq became a separate nation under British control (Baram 1, Farouk-Slugett 11-12). An Arab, Prince Faysal ibn Husayn of the Hashimite house of Hijas, was elected king and coronated August 1921 as King Faysal I (Baram 1). Upon entry into the League of Nations, Iraq became an independent country, but still under considerable British influence, in 1932 (Farouk-Slugett 13),
Using the British political system as a model, a constitutional monarchy was established (Harris 114), The Iraqi Parliament consisted of two chambers: an upper chamber—Senate—and a lower chamber—Chamber of Deputies. The senators were appointed by the king, and the deputies were elected by “secondary” electors who were in turn elected by “primary” electors, “all male Iraqi subjects who have reached the age of 20, are mentally competent, are not undischarged bankrupts, and have not lost their civil rights or been convicted of a crime (Harris 87).” The “primary” electors elect the “secondary” electors, who elect the deputies.
2

The king was the commander in chief of the armed forces. After consultation with the former prime minister and other ministers (cabinet heads), the king appointed the prime minister. He could also dismiss the prime minist...