Since the early 1900's, and arguably as early as the 1600's, Western powers have conquered, shaped and divided the Middle East in the search for oil and influence, with a casual disregard for autonomous governence.
The failed British occupation of Mesopotamia in the 1900's was undertaken to gain control of the known oil fields, especially Mosul, and was ratified by the League of Nations under the pretext that the British would stand down as the new Iraqi's stood up, to use modern rhetoric.
Britain controlled and framed the new nation of Iraq according to the needs of the British Empire with little regard for the disparate tribes and religious groups that occupied the arid land. In 1920 the Iraqi's decided it was time to stand up against the British occupation in what is now called The Great Iraqi Revolution.
For a great read regarding the Revolution and a chilling feeling of "this sounds so familiar" go here and go here
