The threat of Western liberalism to Iraqi Kurdistan's society

Serwan Zangana | Exclusive to iKurd.net

The opinions are those of the writer and do not necessarily represent the views of iKurd.net or its editors.

In the recent statement of the Department of State, the United States crossed the boundary regarding Iraq’s law banning homosexuality and prostitution. Obviously, intervening in Iraqis’ culture and religious beliefs is what appears to be behind the Statement. This is completely opposed by the Iraqi people. Generally, to establish a better relationship with the Middle Eastern nations, the United States must understand the cultures and beliefs of people in the region.

The United States, specifically, the Biden Administration should refrain from selling its liberal policy regarding homosexuality and prostitution. The Department of State manipulatively released its statement as a concern of human rights in Iraq. Indeed, homosexuality and prostitution are totally irrelevant to human rights.

The United States’ interference in Iraqis social lifestyle and beliefs is a major threat to Iraq’s society and family principles. In its statement, the Department of State has connected the economy and the security of Iraq to this law of banning homosexuality and prostitution. It is a complete delusion as the Department of States is attempting to connect the two critical situations in today’s Iraq, which are economy and security, to the legislation of banning homosexuality and prostitution.

Furthermore, the Statement links the stability of Iraq to this legislation, but in fact the unstable situation in Iraq has been attributed to various factors except the homosexuality and prostitution. Evidently, this is a political and an ideological strategy that the United States under the Biden administration is drawing to infiltrate Iraqi’s society. Seemingly, the Statement is a first part of the Biden Administration’s package to Iraq, and believably, the second and the third part will be on the way unless the Iraqis set a (no crossing line) for the Biden Administration.

The West, including the United States, have gone far in stepping on the Middle Eastern nations values and exporting the liberal ideology and defining human rights based on their views. The West’s view is on the complete opposite side of people’s view in the Middle East with mostly abiding either religious belief or traditional lifestyle.

It is the moral obligation of Iraq’s lawmakers to protect Iraqi’s society. Such an obligation has a different meaning in the Western society. The United States’ involvement in Middle Eastern society creates a division and leads to a destruction of its cultures, beliefs, and a family’s traditional lifestyle. The United States’ concern should be the American cities as uncontrolled crimes and diseases attributed to prostitution and drugs. Such problems have devastated American society.

The wave of liberalism in the Western society has shifted the traditional lifestyle in some aspects to lose its value and changed the definition of relationship between men and women. In the United States, liberalism is pervasively exposed to society through teaching and accepting homosexuality in schools and some churches.

And the issue is not limited to only teaching and acceptance, it appears to be an indoctrination of the younger generation and invasion of the personal spaces of conservatives and those who reject the homosexuality. The Department of State’s statement does not help in narrowing the gap between the United States and Iraqis’. In fact, it creates more resentment toward the United States.

Again, the unnecessary involvement of the United States’ politicians in Middle Eastern society attributes to a greater chaos and unrest than it already exists.

Where should Kurdistan stand regarding homosexuality and prostitution?

To protect Kurds identity is not limited to only stand against Turks, Iranian, and some Arab chauvinism regimes. It is a new era of Kurds struggle as the influence of the West and the United States’ liberal ideology spreads to Kurdistan. Now, Kurds must take a different position in protecting its traditional culture and family lifestyle which are the social identity of Kurds.

The Western liberalism is an immense threat to Kurdistan’s society, and indeed its purpose is to destroy the culture and history of Kurds. In fact, the West and the United States do not necessarily use heavy artillery and tanks. Instead, they are exporting their ideology under names of human rights and equality to Kurdistan society.

Kurdistan should support Iraq’s legislation in banning homosexuality and prostitution and uphold the traditional Kurdish culture to protect the identity of Kurds. Generally, Western society is not an ideal example of morality as it seems. However, the United States liberalism is a silent bullet aimed at Kurdistan. But the question is: Does the Kurdistan Regional Government have the courage to stand against the West and the United States liberalism and be a shield to protect Kurdish society? Or will it sell out and betray Kurds as it did in the past? Seemingly the answer will be the latter.

Serwan Zangana, a contributing writer for iKurd.net, lives in Virginia, U.S. He serves as a correction officer.

The opinions are those of the writer and do not necessarily represent the views of iKurd.net or its editors.