Iraq's Water Crisis: Cooperation or Conquered?
Al-Monitor reports Iraq's delegation aims to address the critical reduction in flows from the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, vital lifelines now choked by Turkish dams. While labeled 'drought-stricken,' this crisis isn't purely natural. For decades, Turkey's massive dam projects, like the Atatürk Dam (completed 1990) and the Southeastern Anatolia Project (GAP), have strategically diverted and held
back waters. This hydro-hegemony was a known risk, amplified after the 2003 US invasion destabilized Iraq's ability to negotiate or defend its resources. So, Iraq sends a delegation for 'cooperation.' One might wonder how much 'cooperation' Iraq can offer a nation that holds its literal lifeblood hostage. Perhaps Baghdad should bring a copy of the 2003 invasion rationale, reminding Ankara how
'liberation' paved the way for its neighbors to turn off the tap. It seems 'nation-building' in Iraq inadvertently built Turkey's water weapon.