Iraqi National Security
Dr. Alaa Hamid Idris
The meaning and concept of national security refers to the legacy of the former regime. This concept is linked to the foundations upon which it established its state. From these foundations, we can move toward Arab national security, through which it distinguished friend from foe. In light of the national security principles it formulated,
A friend is defined as someone who shares the same orientation as the regime and shares similar identity traits, while an enemy is someone who disagrees with those commonalities and has no partnership with the regime in history or culture.
The criterion for evaluating friend from enemy was based on the Baath Party's ideology and the loyalty and participation that resulted from it. This criterion remained the governing standard for the former regime's approach to dealing with crises and transformations from 1968 until 2003.