이라크 군부엘리트와 부족주의 관계 연구

A Study on the Relations between Iraq Military Elite and Tribalism:On Tribal Base of Military Elite in Saddam Era

Tribes and tribalism of Middle East are becoming new research area and issue area because of role enlargement of major tribes in the Middle Eastern States. Tribe and tribalism in the Middle East has been an historical entity and core of political, economic, and cultural action norm for a long time. Before Saddam regime, Iraqi military elite has become an axis of power elite because of frequent military coup and war. In fact, as soon as it came to power in July 1968, the Bath Party announced its rejection of 'tribalism' in its Communique No.1. "We are against religious sectarianism, racism, and tribalism." In later years, tribal shaikhs and tribalism have been regarded as the epitome of backwardness and social reaction in official party ideology. This policy to the tribalism has been continued in Saddam era since 1987. But anti-tribalism policy was changed in the late 1980s or in the early 1990s. The reason was that because Saddam's regime faced in crisis of legitimacy not only in Arab society but also from outside world. Saddam has recruited members of his tribal and clan, Albu Nasir tribal and Beijat clan, as major member of military and information services. He has made Iraq tribal state through the 'state-ization' of the tribe and the tribalization of the state, and through the militarization of his tribe and tribalization of military. In post-Saddam era, too, tribalism will be the major factor and variable in Iraqi political, social change.