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Middle East Review of International Affairs
Returning Exiles to Iraqi Politics
by Ariel I. Ahram
*
Abstract
Almost from the inception of the Iraqi state, exiles have tried to formulate alternatives to the currently ruling version of Iraqi nationalism. Beginning with the Ba’th party takeover in 1968, opposition groups increasingly found succor abroad, where they tried to articulate visions for Iraq’s future that could transcend Iraq’s crippling problems and divisions. After Saddam’s fall, exiles have returned and tried to implement their views but they face considerable challenges, including resentment by those who never left Iraq. Deciding which exiles deserve a place within the new Iraqi nation will be a major step in solving the dilemmas of Iraq’s contested national identity.
Full Text (PDF, 13 pages, 68.1 KB)
Note *: Ariel I. Ahram is a doctoral candidate in the departments of government and Arab studies at Georgetown University. He wishes to thank Osama Abi-Mershed, Amatzia Baram, and Yossi Shain for their assistance with this paper.