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Mosul – Reconstruction and Security

On 2nd of November a conference dedicated to the Iraqi information environment and the threats of disinformation and foreign influence operations was held at the University of Mosul. This conference was organized by the Info Ops Foundation as part of a project researching Iraq's information environment, carried out in cooperation with the Casimir Pulaski Foundation. The aim was both to present the results of our research and to learn the reflections of the local academic community on them. The development of scientific cooperation between Iraqi universities, such as the University of Mosul, and Polish universities is extremely important for developing mutual relations, better understanding, counteracting disinformation and extremism, and, as a result, building a secure international environment. Science and education are, after all, the opposite of ignorance and fanaticism, which various types of extremists and terrorists feed on. Mosul is the best example of this. This was my second visit to Mosul, but under such different conditions. As I was driving through one of the large roundabouts, an image of it from a few years ago, when I was there for the first time, returned to me. At that time, the remnants of a large banner with the symbols of Daesh (ISIS) terrorists were hanging from one of the buildings. Everywhere there was destruction and rubble, and one, great tragedy for the inhabitants. It all began in June 2014, when a horde of several hundred Daesh terrorists conquered Iraq's second-largest city in just 3 days. This was possible because the conflict between the Sunni population and the Shiite security forces had undermined the population's trust in the authorities, causing them not to resist the invaders. It was a classic cognitive error, proof of how important education in information and cognitive security is. The terrorists exploited the moods and emotions of the residents to deceive them. The local Sunnis did not want to murder Shiites or destroy churches, but this was exactly what the terrorists did. They also did not want the destruction of science, education, and cultural heritage, but Daesh brought exactly that. By the time the residents realized that terror awaited them, it was already too late. The period from June 2014 to July 2017 is the darkest chapter in the city's history, including its university and its library. A reign of terror, during which most students and academic staff fled, and the gigantic university complex was looted and then transformed into a bomb and chemical weapons factory. Library collections that could not be hidden from the barbarians were destroyed. In October 2016, the 9-month battle for the liberation of Mosul began. It was then, in the spring of 2016, that I came to Mosul for the first time. It was one great ruin, as the fighting took place over literally every house. After the fall of Daesh, the city's reconstruction began, and today it is hard to believe that such infernal scenes took place there just a few years ago. Under the rule of the current governor of Nineveh, Abdul Qader al-Dakhil, Mosul has become a very safe city, where groups of tourists, including from Europe, are once again walking. And there is much to see here. Mosul is a very old city, with a history dating back to 6,000 BC. In the times of the Assyrian Empire, its capital, the city of Nineveh, was located there, the archaeological remains of which are preserved to this day. In the first millennium AD, Christianity developed in the city, followed by Islam. Many historical monuments also remain from this period, which, however, Daesh tried to destroy. Many churches were razed to the ground, but today crosses are once again visible in the city's skyline. The terrorists, despite calling themselves the "Islamic State," also destroyed mosques, as they disliked that many of them contained the tombs of prophets and other holy men from both Christianity and Islam. This is why, in the final days of the war, Daesh blew up the Great Mosque of al-Nuri, even though it was there that Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi declared himself "caliph" in 2014. The reason was that this 12th-century structure contained the tomb of Ali al-Asghar ibn al-Hanafiyyah. This mosque is famous for its leaning minaret (a result of wind effects), which has been rebuilt from its original materials. Thanks to the good governance of the city and province by the current governor, Abdul Qader al-Dakhil, Mosul does not look as if a cataclysm has passed through it. Importantly, supporting the University of Mosul, which has also gotten back on its feet, is of particular significance to Dakhil. It is hard to believe that just a few years ago, terrorists embedded there transformed it into a factory of death. Today, over 60,000 students of both genders study in this gigantic complex. A special place is the library, which is still rebuilding its collections after the Daesh conflagration. Many valuable books were saved, but their condition was deplorable. However, the University of Mosul Library effectively applied the most modern conservation techniques and also digitized its collections. This is one of the important areas where cooperation with Polish universities and libraries is possible. The University of Mosul's access to our collections will help counter the resurgence of extremism, as it stems from ignorance. On the other hand, it is also important for Europeans, including Poles, to be more familiar with Iraqi scholarly achievements. During the visit to the University of Mosul, which also included a meeting of the Info Ops Foundation delegation with Governor Abdul Qader al-Dakhil, the prospects for scientific and academic cooperation between Iraqi universities, particularly the University of Mosul, and Polish universities were discussed. The Info Ops Foundation intends to mediate in the development of joint scientific projects. The main event during the visit was the conference on disinformation, which discussed, among other things, issues related to the distortion of the image of Europe, including Poland, in Iraq, in connection with problems such as migration, the war in Ukraine, and the Palestinian issue. The conference was attended by about 100 academics and students from the University of Mosul, including, in particular, the authorities of the Faculty of Political Science: Dean Prof. Suhaib Khalid Jassem, Vice-Dean Dr. Khairallah Subhan al-Jubouri, Prof. Tareq al-Taie, Dr. Mohammad Saif ad-Din Mahmoud, Mohammad Akram Jameel, and the Director of the Center for Regional Studies, Dr. Tareq Mohammed Dhaher. There is no doubt that disinformation and hostile influence operations must be fought. This is what contributed to the tragedy of Mosul 10 years ago. Knowledge is a powerful weapon against ignorance, and ignorance is the path to emotional manipulation and psychological operations. This is what we discussed in Mosul, and this is what we will continue to work on with our Iraqi friends.

On 2nd of November a conference dedicated to the Iraqi information environment and the threats of disinformation and foreign influence operations was held at the University of Mosul. This conference was organized by the Info Ops Foundation as part of a project researching Iraq’s information environment, carried out in cooperation with the Casimir Pulaski Foundation. The aim was both to present the results of our research and to learn the reflections of the local academic community on them. The development of scientific cooperation between Iraqi universities, such as the University of Mosul, and Polish universities is extremely important for developing mutual relations, better understanding, counteracting disinformation and extremism, and, as a result, building a secure international environment. Science and education are, after all, the opposite of ignorance and fanaticism, which various types of extremists and terrorists feed on. Mosul is the best example of this.

This was my second visit to Mosul, but under such different conditions. As I was driving through one of the large roundabouts, an image of it from a few years ago, when I was there for the first time, returned to me. At that time, the remnants of a large banner with the symbols of Daesh (ISIS) terrorists were hanging from one of the buildings. Everywhere there was destruction and rubble, and one, great tragedy for the inhabitants. It all began in June 2014, when a horde of several hundred Daesh terrorists conquered Iraq’s second-largest city in just 3 days. This was possible because the conflict between the Sunni population and the Shiite security forces had undermined the population’s trust in the authorities, causing them not to resist the invaders. It was a classic cognitive error, proof of how important education in information and cognitive security is. The terrorists exploited the moods and emotions of the residents to deceive them. The local Sunnis did not want to murder Shiites or destroy churches, but this was exactly what the terrorists did. They also did not want the destruction of science, education, and cultural heritage, but Daesh brought exactly that. By the time the residents realized that terror awaited them, it was already too late.

The period from June 2014 to July 2017 is the darkest chapter in the city’s history, including its university and its library. A reign of terror, during which most students and academic staff fled, and the gigantic university complex was looted and then transformed into a bomb and chemical weapons factory. Library collections that could not be hidden from the barbarians were destroyed. In October 2016, the 9-month battle for the liberation of Mosul began. It was then, in the spring of 2016, that I came to Mosul for the first time. It was one great ruin, as the fighting took place over literally every house.

After the fall of Daesh, the city’s reconstruction began, and today it is hard to believe that such infernal scenes took place there just a few years ago. Under the rule of the current governor of Nineveh, Abdul Qader al-Dakhil, Mosul has become a very safe city, where groups of tourists, including from Europe, are once again walking. And there is much to see here. Mosul is a very old city, with a history dating back to 6,000 BC. In the times of the Assyrian Empire, its capital, the city of Nineveh, was located there, the archaeological remains of which are preserved to this day. In the first millennium AD, Christianity developed in the city, followed by Islam. Many historical monuments also remain from this period, which, however, Daesh tried to destroy. Many churches were razed to the ground, but today crosses are once again visible in the city’s skyline. The terrorists, despite calling themselves the “Islamic State,” also destroyed mosques, as they disliked that many of them contained the tombs of prophets and other holy men from both Christianity and Islam. This is why, in the final days of the war, Daesh blew up the Great Mosque of al-Nuri, even though it was there that Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi declared himself “caliph” in 2014. The reason was that this 12th-century structure contained the tomb of Ali al-Asghar ibn al-Hanafiyyah. This mosque is famous for its leaning minaret (a result of wind effects), which has been rebuilt from its original materials.

Thanks to the good governance of the city and province by the current governor, Abdul Qader al-Dakhil, Mosul does not look as if a cataclysm has passed through it. Importantly, supporting the University of Mosul, which has also gotten back on its feet, is of particular significance to Dakhil. It is hard to believe that just a few years ago, terrorists embedded there transformed it into a factory of death. Today, over 60,000 students of both genders study in this gigantic complex. A special place is the library, which is still rebuilding its collections after the Daesh conflagration. Many valuable books were saved, but their condition was deplorable. However, the University of Mosul Library effectively applied the most modern conservation techniques and also digitized its collections. This is one of the important areas where cooperation with Polish universities and libraries is possible. The University of Mosul’s access to our collections will help counter the resurgence of extremism, as it stems from ignorance. On the other hand, it is also important for Europeans, including Poles, to be more familiar with Iraqi scholarly achievements.

During the visit to the University of Mosul, which also included a meeting of the Info Ops Foundation delegation with Governor Abdul Qader al-Dakhil, the prospects for scientific and academic cooperation between Iraqi universities, particularly the University of Mosul, and Polish universities were discussed. The Info Ops Foundation intends to mediate in the development of joint scientific projects. The main event during the visit was the conference on disinformation, which discussed, among other things, issues related to the distortion of the image of Europe, including Poland, in Iraq, in connection with problems such as migration, the war in Ukraine, and the Palestinian issue. The conference was attended by about 100 academics and students from the University of Mosul, including, in particular, the authorities of the Faculty of Political Science: Dean Prof. Suhaib Khalid Jassem, Vice-Dean Dr. Khairallah Subhan al-Jubouri, Prof. Tareq al-Taie, Dr. Mohammad Saif ad-Din Mahmoud, Mohammad Akram Jameel, and the Director of the Center for Regional Studies, Dr. Tareq Mohammed Dhaher.

There is no doubt that disinformation and hostile influence operations must be fought. This is what contributed to the tragedy of Mosul 10 years ago. Knowledge is a powerful weapon against ignorance, and ignorance is the path to emotional manipulation and psychological operations. This is what we discussed in Mosul, and this is what we will continue to work on with our Iraqi friends.

Phd Witold Repetowicz