How the American invasion of 2003 affected Kurdish statebuilding in Iraq
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2023-06-23
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en
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The 2003 American invasion of Iraq had a profound effect on the Middle Eastern region. Among the
many affected cases is the Kurdish Regional Government, the autonomous Kurdish region within
Iraq. When in 2003 the Kurds joined forces with the American-led coalition in order to overthrow
Saddam Hussein's Ba’ath regime, it marked a significant change for the history of the Kurds. This
thesis attempted to explain the effect of the invasion on the state capacity of the Kurds. By
conducting a process-tracing case study, this thesis has shown that war-making can lead to an
increased state capacity. A theoretical perspective was adopted based on Charles Tilly's statebuilding
theory. The results show how the invasion improved the Kurdish military by supplying weapons and
training, increasing the Kurdish coercive capacity. Additionally, the power-balance within Iraq was
affected in favour of the Kurds. This led to a more stable political climate for the Kurds. The resulting
instalment of the 2005 constitution allowed for the arrival of countless oil companies drilling oil in
the expanded Kurdish territory. All in all, this thesis has shown how war-making can lead to an
increase in state capacity.
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Faculteit der Managementwetenschappen