Changes in Iraq 10 years after U.S. invasion

The Heat

IRAQ-UNREST-KURDSIraqi Kurdish forces take position as they fight jihadist militants from the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) on June 29, 2014 in the Iraqi village of Bashir (Basheer), 20 kilometers south of the city of Kirkuk. Iraqi forces pressed a counter-attack on Saddam Hussein’s hometown of Tikrit as Russia delivered Sukhoi warplanes to aid Baghdad in what diplomats warn is an existential battle against Sunni militants. AFP PHOTO /KARIM SAHIB

Ten years ago the United States handed over power to the Iraqi government following the 2003 American led invasion. But sectarian violence, corruption and disunity among the people continue to wreak havoc on the war-torn country.

Middle East analysts warn of the threat of civil war in the region as Sunni militants continue to seize Iraqi towns and have now formally declared the creation of an Islamic state in the territory under its control.

What has changed for Iraq in the last ten years? And what does the country’s future look like? We examine the issue in this edition of The Heat.

Fierce fighting continues between the “Islamic State”, the Sunni militant group previously known as the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant, and government forces continues in Iraq.

The United States has rushed 75 missiles to the Iraqi government to help them take back the city of Tikrit from the Sunni Muslim militant group.

The U.S. has also confirmed it’s flying armed drones over Baghdad to protect teams of U-S military advisers now operating in Iraq, to assess the deteriorating security conditions.
CCTV’s Tony Cheng reports the latest developments from Iraq.

Follow Tony Cheng on Twitter @TLCBkk

So how has Iraq changed in the last decade? How has U.S. involvement affected the war-torn nation? Mazen Al –Eshaiker, former adviser to the Iraqi government shares his opinions on the turmoil of his home country.

The situation in Iraq is quickly deteriorating as the death toll rising as Islamic insurgents inch closer to Baghdad. There are fears of a civil war with the nation being split into three.

What’s at stake for Iraq if things don’t improve? And, what can the international community realistically do to help?

Bill Roggio, a Senior Fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, provides possible next steps.

Send your comments to us at: theheat@cgtnamerica.com.