Crisis Studies of the Islamic World

Crisis Studies of the Islamic World

Examining the Conditions of Crisis and Anarchy in Iraq's Sociopolitical Developments during the Post-Saddam Period (2003–2006)

Articles in Press

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors
Ali Mokhtari 1
Reza Dehbanipoor 2
Ali Eslami 3
1 Assistant Professor Political Science, Faculty of Humanities, Yasuj University.
2 Assistant Professor of Political Science, Faculty of Humanities, Yasuj University.
3 Master in Political Science, Yasuj University
10.22034/csiw.2026.737646
Abstract
The political and social developments in Iraq following the fall of Saddam Hussein's regime marked one of the most complex and challenging periods in the country's history. Political chaos and the escalation of social problems, manifested in various forms of violence, disrupted the public sphere, and the situation went beyond the government's control. This research attempts to examine the process of state collapse and the reproduction of anarchy during this period by using the "Broken Windows" theory. The research findings show that hasty decisions such as "de-Baathification" and the "dissolution of the army" effectively broke the main windows of Iraq's political and administrative order. Subsequently, widespread looting, the collapse of the police force, and the destruction of infrastructure not only undermined public security and social trust but also sent a clear message to society: the new government neither had sufficient authority nor was capable of restoring order. Ignoring these early signs quickly led to a cycle of collapsing legitimacy, sectarian violence, and the rise of non-state actors, a cycle that plunged Iraq into chronic chaos.
Keywords
Socio-political developments
Iraq
broken windows
anarchy
Crisis Studies of the Islamic World

Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript
Available Online from 16 July 2026

  • Receive Date 25 December 2025
  • Revise Date 10 July 2026
  • Accept Date 16 July 2026