Probing the Private Actors’ Practices and Its Impact on Iraqi Sovereignty from an International Law Lens after the US Invasion in 2003

Abstract

This study investigates how private actors (in the guise of private military companies) could impact the economy and human rights in fragile states like Iraq. It argues that this conclusion can only be reached if the dynamics of the international law enact new resolutions are neglected.  The basic claim is that the US invasion of Iraq paved the way for these private contractors as military and private companies have affected Iraq's sovereignty, economy and human rights. There are additional reasons to question the legitimacy of private actors, which can be seen by examining their practices after the U.S. invasion of Iraq. In particular, we will analyze the actions of multinational enterprises and their businesses. A descriptive and content analysis was adopted as an effective approach. The results showed a huge impact on the Iraqi economy and human rights. The results also indicated that Iraqi sovereignty still oscillates between its existence and absence. The Iraqi legal system also lacks legal frameworks that might distinguish international investment in opaques in dealing with Iraq as a specific case of sovereignty.