Compared to the role the Iraqi military has played in the past, it seems that today's army is a less experienced and less disciplined version of those of the past. For the past 15 years, the army has played the role of police in protecting Iraq domestically. As for its sectarian composition, the Sunnis boycotted it during its reformation after the 2003 US-led invasion, and thus it has become dominated by Shiites.
Under Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, the army became a Shiite institution par excellence, as Maliki perceived events in Iraq as a continuation of the conflict between Shiites and Sunnis that began 1,000 years ago. Sectarianism in the current army is also clearly reflected in its widespread public practice of Shiite religious rituals and in the exaggerated violence and collective punishment employed against Sunni cities. According to reports from Anbar, the Iraqi army used barrel bombs during fighting there this year, sparking confrontations in the Iraqi parliament in August.
Today's Iraqi army is known for its lack of discipline. Its troops often demonstrate inappropriate behavior on the battlefield and in public places, showing little or no regard for military rules and regulations. It has had and continues to have adverse effects on the lives of Iraqis. Its reformation now necessitates addressing its flaws to build a true national army with the goal of defending the homeland, not only the authorities.
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