Is America on the Right Course?

We have heard a lot of rhetoric that America will "stay the course" in Iraq. Some, especially Republicans, think it shows a firm resolve that will deter terrorism and help stabilize that country. Others feel that if you were driving down a road, and discovered that you were going in the wrong direction, it would be foolish to stay on that same road and even more foolish to accelerate.

Is our continued presence in Iraq so inflammatory that it is causing resistance to escalate? A recent survey showed that the majority of Iraqis think they were better off under Saddam than they are now, despite claims by the administration that all but a handful of "thugs" welcome and want us there.

In every conflict, the enemy has to be demonized by both sides. Armies are trained to kill. If you hesitate in battle because these are nice people you endanger your life and the lives of your comrades in arms. We bombed and killed, invaded and killed, searched homes suspicious of the people, looking for weapons and harbored enemies. We roughly lined up families outside of their homes while prodding them with rifles because we couldn't speak their language. We rummaged through their belongings. The adrenalin running high makes voices more strident, actions harsher, and trigger fingers twitch. We don't look like liberators. We look like enemies.

A "Mission Accomplished" sign did nothing to lessen the adrenalin flow when roadside bombs continued to disrupt convoys causing death and injuries, and snipers could be anyone and anywhere. The recent exposure of the abuses that took place at Abu Ghraib prison has heightened the tension. This is not a situation that is conducive to winning hearts and minds. A fighting force does not make a good occupation force to show a people the benefits of democracy. It is natural for a nation to resist invaders and the restrictions of occupation. The occupiers are then compelled to put down the resistance and you have the proverbial vicious circle, in this case spiraling downward.

We are telling the Iraqis, who don't want us there, that we intend to stay there because of our firm resolve to "stay the course." This is causing growing numbers of Iraqis to be as firmly resolved to drive us out. These are not terrorists who hate freedom. These are ordinary Iraqis who love freedom and want to be free of US occupation. It should now be obvious to even the most ardent Bush supporter that this course we're staying on leads nowhere except to a dead end. Is there another course we can take?

If we are going to meet our goal of seeing a stabile and self-governing Iraq and reducing the casualties on both sides it cannot be under American occupation. It can only be accomplished by a coalition of UN forces under UN command. A definite date must be given for all troop withdrawal after the elections. Rebuilding should be a primary focus with Iraqis hired for all the labor. This would lessen sabotage and ease the 50-60% unemployment rate. That is an outrageous figure when so much construction is taking place in that country, and so many foreign contractors are making money hand over fist. People with jobs don't have the time to participate in resistance movements. People with jobs see a hope for the future. People with jobs and hope are not as willing to risk their lives to drive out occupiers who will be leaving at a definite time anyway.

Like the mother in the story of King Solomon, who was willing to give up her child rather than see it cut in half, if America is truly sincere about bringing freedom and stability to Iraq, we must give up our control to the UN who will be seen as a neutral party. They have had no connection to the bombing, the killing, the prison abuses or restrictions of occupation and can begin the process of winning hearts and minds with a clean slate.

America can no longer be effective on our present course. We must take a new course, but this time, with a map.

5-25-04