Iraq and Transnational Threats

November 18, 2002

Iraq is a case history of the law of unintended consequences. Between 1919, when modern Iraq was created out of the wreckage of the Ottoman empire, and 1958, when the monarchy was overthrown and King Feisal assassinated, Iraq experienced 8 Kurdish revolts, 9 Shiite rebellions, and three pogroms, one against Assyrians and two against Jews.