Iraqi National Security: From Reaction to Initiative
Iraq’s national security doctrine has remained conventional, responding to threats after they materialize. This paper advocates a proactive doctrine that links security to economics and society.
Context
Over the past two decades, Iraq has confronted non-conventional threat patterns: armed groups operating across borders, proxy wars fought on its territory, entangled regional interventions, information and cyber warfare, and economic pressures targeting its financial infrastructure. These threats are not addressed by conventional security concepts.
The military victory over ISIS in 2017 was a defining moment, yet it was not translated into a comprehensive review of the national security doctrine. The security establishment continues to operate in parallel tracks, without a unified strategic reference, and without a systematic linkage between security, the economy, and foreign policy.
Diagnosis
The Iraqi security apparatus faces three structural challenges that go beyond field-level threats:
- Multiplicity of security decision-making centers and overlapping institutional jurisdictions, weakening the capacity for rapid decision-making.
- Absence of an effective National Security Council capable of producing a unified strategic document and overseeing its implementation.
- Weakness of economic and cyber intelligence — which has become the most critical arena of global competition.
Position
National security in the twenty-first century is a composite concept that is not limited to the military and police, but encompasses the economy, information, critical infrastructure, and society. We advocate the adoption of a proactive security doctrine that moves beyond reaction toward anticipation, and establishes a unified-command, multi-instrument system linked to accountable political leadership.
Recommendations
- Restructure the National Security Council to serve as the unified strategic reference for all security and sovereignty decisions.
- Formally issue the Iraqi National Security Document, defining threats, priorities, and sources of power.
- Establish a National Cybersecurity Authority to protect critical and informational infrastructure.
- Strengthen economic intelligence to monitor financial warfare, sanctions, and the security of reserves.
- Link the security establishment to a national strategic research ecosystem that supplies it with analyses and scenario planning.