The Defence Studies Department (DSD) is pleased to invite you to the second departmental research seminar on Tuesday, November 19th at 13:00, where we will be joined by Dr Amjed Rasheed (DSD). Amjed will be giving a talk entitled “Iraq's struggle to contend with the Sino-US rivalry”, which will be followed by a Q&A session.

This talk analyses Iraq's response to evolving US-China relations, focusing on its foreign policy objectives of ending isolation, strengthening security, and fostering economic growth. Iraq seeks American support to attain these goals, aspiring to reintegrate into the international system and bolster its defence mechanisms. Simultaneously, Baghdad perceives China and its Belt and Road Initiative as instrumental to economic recovery. Despite these aspirations, Iraq encounters impediments that stem from its external environment and domestic politics. As a relatively feeble power, Iraq grapples with limited economic, political, and diplomatic influence, which constrains its ability to effectively respond to shifts in the Sino-US rivalry. In addition, the country engages in incoherent foreign policy behaviour due to consociationalism and the nonstate armed groups that operate outside of the state’s orbit. The analysis concludes that Iraq's responses to US-China tensions are reactive, not proactive; circumstantial, not strategic.

Please note: This event will be held live in person at the JSCSC, UK Defence Academy and online via Microsoft Teams

Click here to join in online

About the Speaker

Amjed Rasheed is a Lecturer in Defence Studies in the Defence Studies Department. He earned his PhD from Durham University's School of Government and International Affairs in 2017. Before his tenure at King's College, Amjed held academic positions at Tübingen University's Institute of Political Science from 2020 to 2021 and at Lancaster University’s Department of Politics, Philosophy, and Religion from 2022 to 2023. In addition, he served as the Hillary Rodham Clinton Fellow at Queen’s University Belfast's School of History, Anthropology, Philosophy, and Politics from 2022 to 2023.