ABSTRACT
ABSTRACT The irony of the invasion and occupation of Iraq is that nations that believe they represent the acme of human progress have, by their own ignorance and incompetence, wreaked havoc in one of the oldest lands of human civilisation in response to a perceived threat that simply did not exist. With all the current rhetoric that the imposition of a Western model of reconstruction upon Iraq implies, it is useful to remind ourselves that Iraq has a cultural heritage that spans some 7000 years of civilisation. Through art, scholarship, philosophy, medicine, engineering and religion Iraq has consolidated its position as a country where true civilising values have influenced the world as opposed to those of unilateral action, false pretexts and strategic interest. From the study of Iraq’s long history the paper concludes that it is cultural and social continuity which provide the thread of progress and regeneration, suggesting that Iraq’s own cultural traditions of conflict resolution can provide the key to peace with the aggressors.
