Efforts to combat terrorism in Iraq, their successes and challenges

Amjad Khalaf Abdul Karim Assist lecturer:

General Specialization / Political Science Specialization

 International Studies Certificate obtained / Master Center for Strategic Studies

 University of Anbar

Assist Lecturer: Mohammed Jubair Abbas Saeed

General specialty/political science

Specialization: political systems and public policies

Master's degree

College of Administration and Economics/University of Fallujah

mohammed.j.abbas@uofallujah.edu.iq      

Iraq's security and strategic policies are fundamentally based on counterterrorism initiatives. Iraq is among the nations that face a serious threat from a variety of terrorist organizations, including the terrorist group ISIS. To counter this threat, the Iraqi government is cooperating with both foreign and domestic security agencies. 

Iraq's efforts to combat terrorism included the following:
1. Military operations: Several places in Iraq that had been under terrorist control were liberated as a consequence of successful military operations against terrorist organizations in various regions of the country.
2. International cooperation: The Iraqi government collaborates with international institutions like the United Nations and the international coalition fighting ISIS, and it receives support from both the international and regional community in its fight against terrorism.
3. Strengthening security and stability: In addition to helping those impacted by terrorism, efforts are also made to improve security and stability in the areas that have been freed.

Challenges Iraq faces in combating terrorism include:
1. Sleeper cells: Even with significant progress made in the fight against terrorism, threats such as the existence of attack-capable sleeper cells persist.
2. Economic and social conditions: Unfavorable economic and social circumstances can worsen security issues and encourage extremism.

3. Political vacuum: Terrorist organizations may be able to obtain support and establish a foothold in areas where there are gaps or weaknesses in the political system.

4. Organized terrorist groups: Terrorist organizations continue to pose a serious threat and are capable of carrying out horrifying acts.
5. Corruption and inadequate infrastructure: The government finds it challenging to successfully tackle terrorism due to corruption and inadequate security centers and infrastructure.
6. Political factors: The influence of foreign actions on the nation's security and stability, as well as internal divides, present political issues.
All things considered, combating terrorism in Iraq is a hard task that calls for widespread coordination and collaboration.

Successes:

 Despite a number of obstacles, counterterrorism initiatives in Iraq have seen considerable progress over the years. Here are a few of those accomplishments:
1. The liberation of Anbar, Mosul, and other regions:  The city of Mosul and other ISIS-held regions were freed by the Iraqi troops with assistance from the international coalition.
2. Eliminating terrorist leaders:  The ability of terrorist organizations to function and plan was directly impacted by the removal of a number of their leaders.
3. Increasing internal security: To stop terrorists from infiltrating and from carrying out their operations, security protocols within Iraq were examined and reinforced.

The following are some conclusions drawn from the problems and counterterrorism efforts in Iraq:

1.It's becoming evident that the fight against terrorism in Iraq is essential to preserving the nation's security and stability.
2. It seems that bolstering efforts to combat terrorism in Iraq requires both international and regional cooperation, and that effective coordination amongst the involved parties is essential to achieving desired outcomes.
3. The major obstacles that counterterrorism operations in Iraq must overcome, including poor infrastructure, political unrest, and corruption, highlight the necessity for all-encompassing plans that address these obstacles head-on.

4. It demonstrates the importance of putting more effort into bolstering intelligence and security capacities in Iraq as well as improving coordination and collaboration among security agencies to maximize the efficacy of counterterrorism initiatives.
From the aforementioned considerations, it can be concluded that, in addition to resolving the internal reasons that contribute to the complexity of the country's security landscape, efforts to combat terrorism in Iraq must be intensified and focused on international collaboration.

Recommendations

1. Strengthening international cooperation: Maintain and improve collaboration with other nations in terms of intelligence sharing, technical assistance, and training.
2. Pay attention to the underlying reasons of extremism: Improving social and economic circumstances as well as raising educational standards are two ways to tackle the underlying causes of extremism.
3. Reintegrating former combatants: Create initiatives to help them back into society and keep them from turning to violence.
4. Increasing the capacity of local security forces to maintain stability and security through ongoing training and equipment provision for Iraqi security forces.
5. Border protection: Stepping up measures to fortify Iraq's borders in order to stop the entry of weapons and terrorists.