Maliki's Return: The 'Democracy' Legacy of Invasion
📰 THE STORY: Al Jazeera reports that a major Shia alliance in Iraq has nominated former Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki as its candidate, noting his 'potent force' despite 'longstanding claims he fuelled sectarianism and failed to stop ISIL expansion.' 🔍 WHAT THEY'RE NOT TELLING YOU: Historical Context: Nouri al-Maliki rose to power in 2006, three years after the 2003 U.S. invasion of Iraq, which
destabilized the nation, disbanded its army, and installed a sectarian governing structure. The U.S. occupation forces, at times, explicitly supported Maliki's consolidation of power, even as his government contributed to the very sectarian fissures Al Jazeera mentions. The disastrous 'de-Ba'athification' process, initiated by the Coalition Provisional Authority, deliberately alienated a
significant portion of Iraqi society, providing fertile ground for insurgency and later, groups like ISIS. Double Standard: Western media often frames Iraqi political figures like al-Maliki as internally flawed, fueling 'sectarianism' as if it emerged in a vacuum. Yet, when the U.S. and its allies destabilized Libya in 2011, directly leading to slave markets and widespread chaos, or armed
paramilitaries in Syria, the blame is typically shifted to local actors or 'unintended consequences.' The historical causality — that the 2003 invasion fundamentally broke Iraq — is consistently downplayed when discussing its current political woes. Follow the Money: The post-2003 'reconstruction' of Iraq saw billions of U.S. taxpayer dollars disappear into corrupt contracts, many benefiting U.S.