THE HYDROPOLITICAL FUTURE OF MESOPOTAMIA THE WATER PROBLEM IN IRAQ AND THE EFFECTS OF THE TURKISH WATER POLICY

Abstract

In light of the fragile international interactions, we assume the next conflict will be a water war.  There are entrances to significant problems that may be difficult to solve in many cases. Many issues have impacted the international environment; the most pressing of which is water scarcity. The problem of water scarcity is one of the most critical problems facing human societies, which is caused by the decline in water quantities and the policies of upstream countries trying to control the amounts of water flowing to other countries. These policies are used for political and economic purposes to pressure other countries. The Arab region, particularly Iraq, is one of the regions most affected by the negative aspects of this issue, as it is heavily influenced by Turkey's decisions over the amount of water flowing into it. Turkey has exploited this issue to achieve several goals, which led to the deterioration of relations between the parties. There is a rule in the well-established diplomatic tradition that no country digs its negotiating positions in stone. In public, we find that the parties take specific positions, and there is no room for maneuver. This is due to water's fundamental economic, social, cultural, and environmental value in their communities. However, these positions may seem incomprehensible at first glance. The key to a proper understanding of the parties' concerns and positions is to distance themselves from political outbursts and their understanding of the real concerns of each party. Any sustainable solutions must address these concerns. Officials' opinions and concerns in public statements, web pages, and official publications have changed over time, but not due to debates between water specialists and other officials. This research aims at the possibility of understanding the nature of Turkey's water policy toward Iraq and how this policy can affect the life of the Iraqi individual. The water factor remains influential and present in Turkey's policy, which used it politically against other countries that benefit from it, such as Iraq, which dealt with it based on determining the amount of water flowing to it. Turkey uses water as a means of pressure on Iraq to achieve strategic gains.