ABSTRACT
In the previous chapters, an attempt was made to show the inherent weaknesses of the Iraqi state, and the virtual absence of the basic prerequisites considered necessary for the maintenance of stability. In the aftermath of the abortive revolt of 1920, Iraq was a country without either an indigenous central authority or any significant structured and functional institutions. Aware of these weaknesses, the British authorities created a puppet government in October 1920 and shortly afterwards proceeded to lay the foundations of what was to become known as the Iraq Arab Army. Military service, the government thought, would encourage the development of a national spirit, and the disciplined and uniformed life of the barracks might succeed in creating some degree of homogeneity among recruits drawn from racially and ethnically diverse backgrounds. In addition, a national army was a significant symbol of national sovereignty, and a vital instrument in the maintenance of internal security and the deterrence of external aggression. It was also essential for upholding the legal rights of merchants and other urban groups that had claims in the countryside, and for enforcing such class-based legislation as the 1933 Agrarian Law.
The formation of the Iraq army
