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Qasimism^[1]^[2] (Arabic: التيار القاسمي, romanized: at-Tayyār al-Qāsimī) is an Iraqi nationalist ideology based on the thoughts and policies of Abd al-Karim Qasim, who ruled Iraq from 1958 until 1963.

Ideology

Qasimism opposes Pan-Arabism, Pan-Iranism, Pan-Turkism, Turanism, Kurdish nationalism, and any ideology which affects the unity of Iraqi people and takes land from Iraq. The main policy of Qasimism is Iraqi nationalism, which is the unity and equality of all ethnicities in Iraq, including Arabs, Kurds, Turkmen, Assyrians, Armenians, Yazidis, and Mandaeans. Abd al-Karim Qasim had many conflicts against Ba'athists, Pan-Arabists, and Kurdish separatists. In the Qasimism ideology, Iraq and Iraqis are put first and foremost. Qasimism also views Iraq's ancient Mesopotamian (Sumerian, Akkadian, Babylonian, Ancient Assyrian) identities as the core of Iraq and its people, and seeks to preserve them. Qasimism is a secular ideology which puts being Iraqi before any religion.^[3]^[4]

Qasimism also has some irredentist influence due to Abd al-Karim Qasim and many Qasimists wanting Kuwait and Khuzestan province to be a part of Iraq. In fact, it was the Qasimists who created the belief that Kuwait and Khuzestan were rightful Iraqi lands,^[5]^[6]^[7] a belief which had also influenced Saddam Hussein, who further popularised it, made it public that it was his goal, and made it his motive for the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait and the Iran–Iraq War.^[8]

Nationalization and populism are more policies of Qasimism. Abd al-Karim Qasim was the one who overthrew the Kingdom of Iraq, which was established by the British, and he became the one to establish Iraqi rule over Iraq. Under Abd al-Karim Qasim, 99% of British-owned oil company lands were taken and distributed to the Iraqi civilian population.^[9]

Qasimism seeks women to participate more in society and play a bigger role in the development of Iraq. This was encouraged by Abd al-Karim Qasim himself who rewrote the Iraqi constitution to guarantee more women's rights.^[10] Under Qasimist rule, Iraq appointed its first woman minister, Naziha al-Dulaimi, who was actually the first woman in the entire Arab world to hold a significant role. She inspired the 1959 Civil Affairs Law, which increased women's benefits in marriages and inheritance laws.^[11]

Symbols

The flag of Qasimist Iraq, with Pan-Arab colors representing Iraqi Arabs, yellow sun representing Kurds, and red rays representing Assyrians

New proposed flag of Iraq by nationalists, with Qasimist influence

The emblem of Qasimist Iraq, which is a combination of the Star of Ishtar and Shamash's solar symbol

Qasimist version of the Star of Ishtar

References

^ The Iraqi Revolution of 1958: The Old Social Classes Revisited. I.B. Tauris. 1991. ISBN 9781850433187.
^ Khadduri, Majid (1969). Republican Iraq. Oxford University Press. ISBN 9780192149794.
^ Polk (2005), p. 111
^ Simons (1996), p. 221
^ "Factualworld.com". www.factualworld.com.
^ Marr (2004), p. 181
^ Simons (1996), pp. 223–225
^ "Desert Storm: 30 years on". Arab News. 2021-02-27. Retrieved 2023-07-20.
^ "Iraq - REPUBLICAN IRAQ". countrystudies.us.
^ Marr (2004), p. 172
^ The Washington Post (November 20, 2017): "Women's rights are under threat in Iraq" By Zahra Ali.