Iraq - Perseverance Not Disengagement
Rauf Naqishbendi
July 10, 2007
Prominent Democrats as well as Republicans who are critical of President Bush’s Iraq policy are pushing for a timetable for the withdrawal of American troops from Iraq. This is rationally inexplicable and will only rush the US headlong to failure in this endeavor. Failure would have many more ramifications beyond those in Iraq itself - consequences far beyond what these politicians have perceived. The impact on the extent of American seclusion from the rest of world and the American economy would be immeasurable; the doom and gloom it involves is unthinkable.
The lack of efficient and effective planning for the invasion of Iraq has engendered the current upheaval and unrest. If the US troops’ withdrawal time-table from Iraq were rushed and as poorly planned as their deployment, the Iraqi people and the entire Middle East in general would be forced to realize the impending shadow of calamities cast upon them. If that were to happen, America would be blamed for its nonsensical invasion as Mesopotamia burned in a flame of the world’s most despised, fanatic Moslems’ anger and revenge. We need look no further for a comparison than Kuwait to illustrate the poor planning that, if allowed to continue, would result in such horrors.
When Kuwait was invaded, there were almost a million solders involved, but when Iraq was invaded (which was by far a much more complicated task given Iraq’s population and its vast landscape) less than 200,000 solders were sent. This lack of effective planning, and therefore resources, has allowed fanatic Moslem and anti-American thugs to capitalize on the lack of security. For example, the few-mile stretch between Baghdad and Baghdad’s airport is the most dangerous place in the world for the simple reason that there aren’t enough solders to maintain security.
Now the US administration is planning on training an Iraqi army to follow in the US army’s footsteps. Granted this is necessary in planning for the future, but to think the Iraqis can step into the US army’s shoes any time soon is unrealistic. So far the Iraqi army has proven ineffective and not up to the task. When Iraqi troops are challenged by insurgents, as they were when US troops started sweeping through Faluja, they deserted in that instance all did except for the Kurdish soldiers. The same can be said about the Iraqi police force.
Right before Iraq’s general election every policeman in Mosul, the third largest Iraqi city, deserted and Kurdish leaders had to help the situation by landing with more than a thousand of their armed forces dressed in police uniform to provide the much-needed security for the election. The logical conclusion is that the Iraqi soldiers and police are not drawn to their occupations as a duty but rather as a job. Their motivation does not stem from bravery but from a desire to do the bare minimum needed to receive their compensation. They are not risking their lives for a cause; they are doing just enough to get by.
Of course, America will not be babysitting the Iraqi people forever; sooner or later they will have to step up to the challenge of securing their own country and its borders. At the same time it must be considered that the threat to the Iraqi people and the American troops imposed by the insurgencies lead by the remnant of Saddam’s loyalists, fanatic Moslems and anti-Americans is still growing, not diminishing.
Even with all our intelligence on the ground and satellite surveillance in the air, we have not yet been able to penetrate through their ranking files, nor have we been able to determine with reliable proof who is supporting these thugs and how and where they recruit their murderers. The insurgents’ barbarism and tactics are the most intricate in modern memory. So, rooting them out, which is the only solution in this case, requires a formidable army with years of training given sufficient time and preparation rather than hurried to a conclusion which will only turn out to be regrettable.
In his initial campaign to invade Iraq, President Bush cited Saddam’s regime as state-sponsored terrorism, a hindrance to the peace and stability in the region, and rightly so. That being said, now Iraq is even more threatening than when Saddam was in power. (For the accuracy of this analysis, Kurdistan is not considered as part of that Iraq as the Kurds have no quarrel with the US and in fact they have been a welcoming factor in the US’s invasion of Iraq.) It is well known that the insurgencies are so threatening that without the US’s involvement, at least in Iraqi Arabia the insurgents would be able to bring the government to its knees, and if that were to happen Iraq would be ruled by a government reminiscent of the former Taliban in Afghanistan, though by far much worse as they would be able to accomplish much more with their access to the vast treasure of oil revenue. They would spread terror around the globe to every location strategic to the Western world, and eventually would cause one Middle Eastern government after another to fall to the hands of Islamic extremists.
For these reasons, it is imperative for the US to stay its course in Iraq unless decided partitioning Iraq into three countries which is the most viable solution. However, any premature withdrawal would bring devastation to the Iraqi people and the Middle East as a whole, as well as bringing shame to America, taming its image and upstanding reputation. Reducing American troops will only aggravate the chaos and give insurgents the upper hand; since there are already not enough American troops, additional troop deployment should be accommodated. The situation in Iraq has and will cost the US whether it stays its course or disengages, but it will be far more costly to give up rather than persevere and fight.
The lack of efficient and effective planning for the invasion of Iraq has engendered the current upheaval and unrest. If the US troops’ withdrawal time-table from Iraq were rushed and as poorly planned as their deployment, the Iraqi people and the entire Middle East in general would be forced to realize the impending shadow of calamities cast upon them. If that were to happen, America would be blamed for its nonsensical invasion as Mesopotamia burned in a flame of the world’s most despised, fanatic Moslems’ anger and revenge. We need look no further for a comparison than Kuwait to illustrate the poor planning that, if allowed to continue, would result in such horrors.
When Kuwait was invaded, there were almost a million solders involved, but when Iraq was invaded (which was by far a much more complicated task given Iraq’s population and its vast landscape) less than 200,000 solders were sent. This lack of effective planning, and therefore resources, has allowed fanatic Moslem and anti-American thugs to capitalize on the lack of security. For example, the few-mile stretch between Baghdad and Baghdad’s airport is the most dangerous place in the world for the simple reason that there aren’t enough solders to maintain security.
Now the US administration is planning on training an Iraqi army to follow in the US army’s footsteps. Granted this is necessary in planning for the future, but to think the Iraqis can step into the US army’s shoes any time soon is unrealistic. So far the Iraqi army has proven ineffective and not up to the task. When Iraqi troops are challenged by insurgents, as they were when US troops started sweeping through Faluja, they deserted in that instance all did except for the Kurdish soldiers. The same can be said about the Iraqi police force.
Right before Iraq’s general election every policeman in Mosul, the third largest Iraqi city, deserted and Kurdish leaders had to help the situation by landing with more than a thousand of their armed forces dressed in police uniform to provide the much-needed security for the election. The logical conclusion is that the Iraqi soldiers and police are not drawn to their occupations as a duty but rather as a job. Their motivation does not stem from bravery but from a desire to do the bare minimum needed to receive their compensation. They are not risking their lives for a cause; they are doing just enough to get by.
Of course, America will not be babysitting the Iraqi people forever; sooner or later they will have to step up to the challenge of securing their own country and its borders. At the same time it must be considered that the threat to the Iraqi people and the American troops imposed by the insurgencies lead by the remnant of Saddam’s loyalists, fanatic Moslems and anti-Americans is still growing, not diminishing.
Even with all our intelligence on the ground and satellite surveillance in the air, we have not yet been able to penetrate through their ranking files, nor have we been able to determine with reliable proof who is supporting these thugs and how and where they recruit their murderers. The insurgents’ barbarism and tactics are the most intricate in modern memory. So, rooting them out, which is the only solution in this case, requires a formidable army with years of training given sufficient time and preparation rather than hurried to a conclusion which will only turn out to be regrettable.
In his initial campaign to invade Iraq, President Bush cited Saddam’s regime as state-sponsored terrorism, a hindrance to the peace and stability in the region, and rightly so. That being said, now Iraq is even more threatening than when Saddam was in power. (For the accuracy of this analysis, Kurdistan is not considered as part of that Iraq as the Kurds have no quarrel with the US and in fact they have been a welcoming factor in the US’s invasion of Iraq.) It is well known that the insurgencies are so threatening that without the US’s involvement, at least in Iraqi Arabia the insurgents would be able to bring the government to its knees, and if that were to happen Iraq would be ruled by a government reminiscent of the former Taliban in Afghanistan, though by far much worse as they would be able to accomplish much more with their access to the vast treasure of oil revenue. They would spread terror around the globe to every location strategic to the Western world, and eventually would cause one Middle Eastern government after another to fall to the hands of Islamic extremists.
For these reasons, it is imperative for the US to stay its course in Iraq unless decided partitioning Iraq into three countries which is the most viable solution. However, any premature withdrawal would bring devastation to the Iraqi people and the Middle East as a whole, as well as bringing shame to America, taming its image and upstanding reputation. Reducing American troops will only aggravate the chaos and give insurgents the upper hand; since there are already not enough American troops, additional troop deployment should be accommodated. The situation in Iraq has and will cost the US whether it stays its course or disengages, but it will be far more costly to give up rather than persevere and fight.
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