The Story of Iraq that dominates our front pages and news broadcasts today seems to be defined by the battle between two men – George W Bush and Saddam Hussein.

So Iraq and the USA snarl at one another as they prepare for war, for the second time in just over a decade.

But threats of forced “regime change” are nothing new in a state that was born in conflict 85 years ago – a state that was sliced off the greater body of the Turkish Ottoman Empire after the World War I.

In this two part series, Fergus Nicoll examines how decades of military tyranny, social conflict, coup d’états, open war and economic blockade have shaped the lives of Iraq’s unfortunate people.

It’s a story of ethnic rivalry between the ruling majority Arabs and the minority Kurds, who want autonomy in the oil-rich regions of the north – and of sectarian conflict between Arabs from the mainstream Sunni branch of Islam, and fellow Arabs of the rival Shi’a tradition.

Listen to Programme One:

The United States seems to be edging closer to a war with Iraq, accusing it of holding weapons of mass destruction and of being a danger to the region and to the USA.

And it's said that the Iraqis under Saddam Hussein are one of the most repressed nations in the world. What is it that has made them so?

Is the Iraq of today entirely Saddam Hussein's creation or do the roots of his domination and control lie further back in the country's history?


Listen to Programme Two:

We begin this programme at a turning-point for modern Iraq.

It’s 1968 and after years of instability, the Baath Party – the party of renewal – has taken absolute control.

The Baath had its roots in a coalition of pan-Arab intellectuals, soldiers and socialists – but it becomes the vehicle which will take Saddam Hussein to the highest office.

And for more than 30 years, he will dominate the story of Iraq like no-one before him.

Iraq as a whole has survived, but 34 years of Saddamism have taken deep root in society. To rip it out with military force could provoke turmoil of a severity not yet seen in the 85-year story of Iraq.

Listen to the special BBC World Service Debate - When is war justified?

Would an attack on Iraq constitute a just war?

President Bush tells the American people they are directly threatend by Saddam Husseins' Weapons of Mass Destruction and that to remove those weapons is his duty.

But, many say that he is trying to rewrite the rule book.

So, when is war just and is it a concept that Christians and Muslims can agree on?

In a special debate with guests from all over the world we discuss the history, the religion and the ethics of just war.


This debate was first broadcast on March 8th 2003 by Carrie Gracie.

Members of the round tabel discussion were:

Dr Mona Siddiqui, head of theology and religious studies at the university of Glasgow

David Beetge, Anglican Bishop of the Highveld in South Africa

Professor Gywn Prins of the London School of Economics and author of The Heart of War - On Power, Conflict and Obligation in the 21st Century

Dr Jonathan Phillips, expert in medieval history at Royal Holloway, University of London

Venerable Mahinda Deegalle - Lecturer in the Study of Religions -- school of historical and cultural studies. A Sri Lankan Buddhist monk based at Bath Spa University.

Veton Surroi - Publisher and editor of Koha Ditore, one of the main newspapers in Kosovo. Also a long-time political activist/commentator in Kosovo

Listen to the special BBC World Service Debate on Iraq

As UN weapons inspectors start work in Iraq we hold a debate to ask - is war inevitable?

We've gathered together senior politicians and commentators from the USA, Europe and the Arab World to discuss the likelihood of conflict.

They look at how a war could affect the region and asking what the consequences would be for the USA and its allies.

Presenter Lyse Doucet and her guests also be examine the idea of 'regime change' which the US administration has talked about.

Could this mean removing Saddam Hussein from office in some way without going to war and what would a post Saddam Iraq look like?


The Story of Iraq and the Debate on Iraq were first broadcast in November 2002 on the BBC World Service