Debate on reinstating compulsory military service has been on the rise in Iraq, and is tabled for discussion in upcoming parliamentary sessions. In early November 2022, the Iraqi Parliament’s Security and Defense Committee announced its intention to place the issue on the Parliament’s agenda with a view to its adoption. The Speaker of the Iraqi Parliament, Mohammed al-Halbousy, stressed the need for the country to reinstate the “Serving the Flag” law, nineteen years after its abolition. The law had been approved by the previous Iraqi government under the presidency of Mustafa al-Kadhimi In late August 2021. However, parliament was unable to pass legislation on the matter due to the political stalemate following Iraq’s last parliamentary elections.  Al-Halbousy argued that reinstating military conscription would be beneficial to the new generations of Iraqis, and strengthen their allegiance to the Iraqi state, their awareness of their duties and rights as citizens, as well as fostering a stronger sense of national identity.

Military conscription was adopted by Iraq in 1935, and the new bill under discussion provides for the recruitment of young people between the ages of 18 and 35 for terms of service ranging from one to two years, based on their level of education. It will also re-establish the Military Reserve Service for those under 50 years of age, and the officers under conscription will receive a salary ranging from IQD600 to IQD700 (approximately USD500). Conscripted officers can continue in the military after the expiration of their mandatory service as a volunteer. Those with health difficulties or who are the sole provider for their families will be exempt from service. Individuals who do not comply with conscription will be prevented from work and travel, and face fines and sentences of up to three years’ imprisonment. The law will take  two years to implement following approval by the Iraqi Parliament

Government motives

 Iraq’s new prime minister, Mohamed al-Sudani, who secured the confidence of Parliament in his new 23-minister government on October 28 after a long political stalemate, has affirmed his government’s intension to tackle Iraq’s many problems. These include unemployment, especially job creation for young Iraqis, and reforms across all sectors of the state, industrial, agricultural and others, as well as tackling corruption. Some observers argue that the passing of this could signal al-Sudani’s  resolve and ability to confront these various problems. 

A larger army would also be pivotal in bolstering the government’s ability to counter the rising activity by terrorist organizations, threatening the security and stability of Iraq. Although Iraqi forces, backed by the US-led international coalition, were able to defeat ISIS by the end of 2017, it still maintains cells in remote areas. It has launched intermittent terrorist attacks against the army and paramilitary forces of the People’s Mobilization Forces (PMF) now integrated into the official security services. There is a general view that military conscription may undermine the ability of terrorist organizations to recruit young people.

 Reinstating military conscription law could also reduce the ability of pro-Iran militia’s, that operate independently from the state, to mobilize new recruits. The activities of these various militias allowed Iran to exercise influence in Iraq and undermined its ability to act as a sovereign state. The new government has declared its rejection of Iranian and Turkish interventions in Iraq, and its intention to confront all attempts to sow chaos in the country. 

The Iraqi Ministry of Defense has also announced that it was rehabilitating and modernizing new army camps and expanding Its military arsenal to accommodate the new generation of young military personnel. Iraq’s current military force amounts to more than one million soldiers and officers in service and retirement. 

Challenges ahead

There are concerns regarding the impact of enforcing military conscription on the relationship between the government and the Iraqi population.  The expansion of the number of armed forces to 10 million, as some are suggesting, could give the Iraqi government enormous repressive powers, and could also foster a militaristic political culture that would undermine efforts to establish democratic governance. 

 The paramilitary organizations ,such as the PMF, which have expanded in strength and influence are likely to feel threatened by this expansion of the National Iraqi Armed Forces, and this may provoke a confrontation between the two sides. This consideration explains why the majority of MPs from the Coordination Framework Coalition forces who hold parliamentary majority (and who support the Shiite PMF), have opposed this law. Both the current parliamentary majority and the militias are pro-Iran and are keen to maintain both their own control and Iranian influence in Iraq.

 Military conscription would in theory enhance national unity by including Sunnis, Shia’s and Kurds and other minorities in the same national military, as was the case prior to the US invasion of Iraq in 2003. However, there is overwhelming opposition to military conscription in the Kurdistan region of Iraq, especially by the territory’s youth. According to interviews by Iraqi media polling young Kurds on their reaction to the law, dissent was overwhelming. The responses received stressed that they were only ready to serve Kurdistan, not the Iraqi government, and would only be willing to join the Peshmerga units (a local force officially recognized in the Iraqi Constitution, which plays the role of a special army in the Kurdistan region of Iraq), not the Iraqi army. If Kurdish citizens are only willing to serve in the Peshmerga, this would reinforce the trend towards a separatist Kurdish state.

 Military conscription moreover requires substantial financial resources, for salaries, training facilities, etc., which would impose a heavy burden. The labor market may be affected by the absence of a workforce that covers its needs. Many young people may choose to obtain a university education in order to reduce the amount of time they need to serve in the military. This would put pressure on educational institutions with limited capacities and inflate the number of graduates beyond actual labor market requirements. Moreover, there are fears that the wealthy will resort to corruption in order to obtain exemptions for their sons from military service. This would not only open a new venue for corruption, which is already rampant, but could also exacerbate social tensions, as the resentment of those unable to obtain these exemptions grows.

In sum, reinstating military conscription in Iraq remains highly controversial in a country experiencing significant economic, political and security challenges. It is expected that this law will be rejected once again by Iraq’s majority Shiite Parliament, with its close links to Iran, as the latter has no wish for Iraq to develop a strong army which includes its diverse political groups and ethnic factions. There have also been suggestions that Iraq would be better served by directing the budget allocated for military conscription towards sustainable infrastructure development projects to rebuild the country after decades of war and corruption.