Author and researcher: Heydar Alkhafaji
The relationship between the different dimensions of public policy leads to either the overall success of the policy program or its failure, sometimes even resulting in the collapse of the entire governance system. This relationship is particularly evident in the close interdependence between military capability, economic and foreign policy.
A range of factors must be considered when defining strategic interests, including military might, economic power, and diplomatic capabilities. Evaluating these factors helps understand how power is acquired, consolidated, and displayed in the global order. These strategic pillars become effective when they complement and reinforce each other.
Foreign policy consists of three levels: conception, content, and implementation, all of which are underpinned by a pragmatic external vision[1].
Therefore, focusing on only one dimension in formulating foreign policy, such as relying on diplomatic capabilities without paying attention to the other important dimensions such as military and economic power, cannot lead to an effective foreign policy capable of achieving strategic objectives.
The strategic aims of any active state in the present day emerge from its effective policymaking and the balancing of military and economic capabilities as displayed in the global system. In the same vein, economics is inseparable from diplomacy, as foreign policy requires concerted efforts to strengthen the other areas of a nation’s power, enabling them to become strategic advantages in politics.
The current situation in the Middle East and the ongoing armed conflict has created regional instability and positioned the countries, groups, and organizations of the region in a state of war. This poses significant dangers and risks to the economies of the region, particularly Iraq. In the event of a new military confrontation, the Iraqi economy would be under considerable threat.
The article in Arabic: الترابط بين القوة العسكرية والقدرة الاقتصادية وأثره في السياسة العراقية