Arab Tribes In Iraq
Many Iraqis identify strongly with a tribe (العشيرة'ashira). Thirty of the 150 or so identifiable tribes in Iraq are the most influential. Tribes are grouped into federations (qabila). Below the tribe, there are the clan (الفخذfukhdh), the house (البيتbeit) and the extended family (الخمسkhams).
On its accession to power in 1968, the Ba'ath party announced its opposition to tribalism (القبليةal-qabaliyya), although for pragmatic reasons, especially during the war with Iran, tribalism was sometimes tolerated and even encouraged.
Read more about Arab Tribes In Iraq: List of Major Tribes ('ashira), Confederations (qabila), Related Organizations
Famous quotes containing the words arab and/or tribes:
“As the Arab proverb says, “The dog barks and the caravan passes”. After having dropped this quotation, Mr. Norpois stopped to judge the effect it had on us. It was great; the proverb was known to us: it had been replaced that year among men of high worth by this other: “Whoever sows the wind reaps the storm”, which had needed some rest since it was not as indefatigable and hardy as, “Working for the King of Prussia”.”
—Marcel Proust (1871–1922)
“That those tribes [the Sac and Fox Indians] cannot exist surrounded by our settlements and in continual contact with our citizens is certain. They have neither the intelligence, the industry, the moral habits, nor the desire of improvement which are essential to any favorable change in their condition.”
—Andrew Jackson (1767–1845)