IRAQ

By: Andrew Iscaro

Location

Iraq is located in the Middle East, between Iran and Saudi Arabia. Iraq is also bordered by Jordan and Syria to the west, Kuwait to the south, and Turkey to the north. The capital is Baghdad.

With an area of 437,072 square kilometers (168,753 square miles), Iraq is slightly more than twice the size of Idaho

Religion

Iraq is 95% Muslim with the other 5% consisting of Christians, Jews, Zoroastrians and Mandaeism

60-65% of Muslims are Shi’a and 32-37% are Sunni

The Shi’a and Sunni have had countless conflicts stemming from their differing beliefs about who to follow. The Shi’ites followed Muhammad's closest relative, his cousin Ali, while the Sunnis followed Abu Bakr his successor

Sunni vs Shia

Jan 14 2013- “The ancient enmity between Shia and Sunni Muslims exploded in violence again on Saturday in Iraq when a suicide bomber (wearing a police uniform) killed at least 50 Shia pilgrims and wounded almost 100 in the southeastern city of Basra.”

The pilgrims were celebrating the festival of Arbain, a principal holy day for Shias

Today

-Starting in March 20 2003 Iraqi Freedom was launched to remove Saddam Hussein from power

-Since then approximately two million Iraqis have fled the conflict in Iraq, with the majority taking refuge in Syria and Jordan, and lesser numbers to Egypt

Landscape

The land of Iraq has mountains bordering Iran and Turkey, valleys, streams and is far from what most people imagine with an incredibly lush landscape in certain areas

OIL

For 2012, Iraq's draft budget forecasts oil exports of 2.6 million barrels per day, a significant increase from Iraq's average of 2.2 million a day in 2011.

Iraq still has a 25% of the population below the poverty line.

US and Iraq

Dec. 15, 2011,American military ended its mission in Iraq after 8 years, one that cost the lives of 4,487 service members, with another 32,226 wounded in action. Tens of thousands of Iraqis died in the fighting.

Attacks

Suicides Bombers Car Bombs Explosive Vests Firing on Civilians IED’s Gunmen Fire Fights

Communications

The 2003 Iraq War severely disrupted telecommunications throughout Iraq, including international connections.

Main telephone lines in use: 833,000 (as of 2005)Number of mobile cellular phones: 9,000,000 (as of 2005)

Domestic telephone network: Repairs to switches and lines have been made. Cellular service has been in place since 2004, and though service is still spotty in some locations, it is expected to improve.

Population

Government

Parliamentary Democracy - President Jalal Talabani -President elected by Council of

Representatives (parliament) to serve a four-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 11 November 2010 (next to be held in 2014

News

A French journalist arrested for taking photos (In late January) without permission in Baghdad is to be brought before a judge Monday but will “hopefully” be freed this week, the head of the Iraqi journalists’ union said.

Dendoune’s sister Houria told AFP from Paris, however, that her brother was arrested while taking pictures of a water treatment plant.

Journalists in Baghdad are required to seek prior approval from the capital’s security command center in order to take photographs at checkpoints and of members of the security forces.

News

The Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki rejected setting a fixed term for his tenure in an interview with Al Arabiya on Saturday.

“Legislating laws as per the constitution come from the prime minister or president, and none have approved of such law.”

The Iraqi parliament voted a week ago to pass a law that seeks to prevent Maliki from seeking a third term in office.

Chris Kyle

Former Navy SEAL Chris Kyle and his neighbor Chad Littlefield took former Marine Eddie Ray Routh to a Texas gun range to help him, but for some reason Routh allegedly turned his gun on his two mentors, killing them both

Kyle, 38, served four tours in Iraq and was awarded two Silver Stars, five Bronze Stars with Valor, two Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medals, and one Navy and Marine Corps Commendation.

He helped found FITCO Cares, an organization that provides at-home fitness equipment for emotionally and physically wounded veterans

From 1999 to 2009, Kyle recorded more than 150 sniper kills, the most in U.S. military history

"His legacy is not one of being the most lethal sniper in United States history," McEwen said. "In my opinion, his legacy is one of saving lives in a very difficult situation where Americans where going to be killed if he was not able to do his job."

Work Cited

http://topics.nytimes.com/top/news/international/countriesandterritories/iraq/index.html

http://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/natsec/RL34387.pdf http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iraq http://www.4.hathalyoum.net/iraqnews.php?action=sit&cd=1

5&sid=144791 http://www.4.hathalyoum.net/iraqnews.php?action=sit&cd=1

5&sid=144791 http://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/05/us/former-sniper-chris-ky

le-tried-to-help-troubled-marine-accused-in-his-death.html?_r=0

http://www.nationsencyclopedia.com/economies/Asia-and-the-Pacific/Iraq.html

http://www.ibtimes.com/shia-sunni-conflict-again-erupts-iraq-213725