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Iraq
Conditions of Service and Morale
Conditions of service in the Iraqi army historically have been
poor. In addition to receiving low and irregular pay, during much
of the country's modern history Iraqi soldiers were involved in
a costly and unpopular war with Kurdish rebels. Having to fight
the Kurds caused morale problems and desertions, particularly
among the army's Kurdish recruits, and on at least two occasions
between 1975 and 1979 the government offered amnesties to all
soldiers and security personnel who had deserted during Kurdish
conflicts. Between 1975 and 1980, Baghdad made some progress in
solving long-standing morale problems and in improving conditions
of service. The 1975 victory against the Kurds and increased oil
income contributed to these improvements. A reversal recurred
in 1981, however, when many of the Iraqi military failed to cope
with combat stress, and thousands experienced psychological problems
because of their war experiences. The surrender rate was also
high, as prisoner-of-war statistics indicated, and that further
demoralized loyal troops.
In 1975 Baghdad adopted a comprehensive Military Service and
Pension Law that established pay scales, allowances, benefits,
and retirement pay designed to attract officers and enlisted men
from the civilian sector. A second lieutenant was authorized ID65
(ID or Iraqi dinar--for value of dinar see Glossary) a month as
base pay, with an increase of ID20 for each higher rank. Moreover,
an adjustable cost-of-living allowance was established, as was
a family allowance amounting to a 5 percent increase in salary
for each dependent. Service allowances were also granted to those
with special skills or duties. Retirement pay was commensurate
with rank and with civilian retirement benefits, and indemnities
were established for the families of soldiers disabled or killed
in action.
After the military defeats of 1982, the entire chain of command
suffered low morale. On several occasions, signs of mutiny in
opposition to the war emerged. According to unverified Iraqi dissident
reports, the number of deserters reached 100,000, and in central
and in southern Iraq, they formed armed groups that were opposed
to the regime. Many soldiers refused to fight in Kurdistan, and
many more joined the armed Kurdish resistance movement.
Data as of May 1988
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