Democracy in Iraq
John W. Slagle
February 27, 2006
On March 20, 2006 it will be a full three years since U.S. Military Forces arrived in Iraq and ended the Suddam Hussein Regime.
The events leading to the capture of Baghdad in April, 2003 and military involvement in Iraq is always presented as a war on terror to nation building, establishing democracy.
The United States and most civilized countries believe in democracy and freedom from oppression.
The factors are rules of law, including international law, human rights, freedom of religion, free speech, free press, along with electing leaders who represent the majority.
With free elections,a democracy also has a functional judicial system which insures civil rights, equality for women,laws against racial defamation to criminal provisions protecting all.
The large amount of personal freedoms also include exposure to international medias and opinions from all sources.
Democracies have old-fashioned ideals such as respecting religious sites and symbols,not using ambulances and hospitals for acts of war, avoiding the mutilation of dead bodies and not using children as human shields or human bombs.
I’m very proud of our military in Afghanistan and Iraq. Afghanistan was a stronghold for the Taliban and international Terrorism.
Iraq may or not have been a serious threat but I support the troops, not necessarily the politics of nation re-building.
Second Guessing” military operations in Iraq has been a favorite past time of Prime time news medias since March 20, 2003.
Building to building, town to town searches for Insurgents and determining “Friend or Foe” is a never ending dangerous task.
Forced entry into any occupied structure controlled by well armed combatants has been normal operations for our Marines and Soldiers.
Similar to “SWAT” police operations in the United States, entry teams always expect the worst.
In Iraq, the injured and dead have been wired with explosives posing a grim daily threat to Medics and search teams.
Improvised Explosives, Suicide Bombers, RPG attacks and snipers are a part of military reality.
When vehicles do not stop at checkpoints leading to secure facilities, it’s a safe bet the occupants are intent on demolition.
Our military cannot be Politically Correct under war time conditions. Some of the decisions which must be made instantly include a few of the following questions G.I.s face daily...
Do you raid a mosque, which serves as a terrorist ammunition storage? Do you return fire, if you are attacked from a hospital? Do you storm a church taken over by terrorists?
Do you search every ambulance after a few suicide bombers use ambulances to reach their targets? Do you strip every woman because one pretended to be pregnant and carried a suicide bomb on her stomach?
Do you shoot back at someone trying to kill you, standing deliberately behind a group of children? Do you raid a terrorist headquarters, hidden in a mental hospital? Do you shoot an Insurgent murderer who deliberately moves from one location to another,always surrounded by children or women?
If the average citizen or U.S. Politician had to “Walk several kilometers” in a Veteran’s boots,in warfare, they might begin to appreciate the troops and their sacrifice.
Through many letters received, I know the compassion of Officers, NCOs, Soldiers and Marines.
When it comes to Terrorist Insurgents, hostile fire conditions to trying to re-establish order in lawless areas for children and innocent civilians, they always accomplish an outstanding job.
The recent destruction of Mosques in Iraq by rival opposing Muslims was an attempt to incite a Shiite uprising and civil war.
Ancient historical sites in Afghanistan to the Golden Mosque in Iraq were destroyed by radical extremists and served no purpose other than inciting age old divides by warring adversaries.
If democracy in Iraq is just about free elections, and not the other traits needed in a free society, fanatics will continue to inflame an already volatile situation between Baaths, Shiites and Kurds.
How many years does it take to establish, train a national police force or military in Iraq capable of handling their own internal affairs without U.S. assistance?
The events leading to the capture of Baghdad in April, 2003 and military involvement in Iraq is always presented as a war on terror to nation building, establishing democracy.
The United States and most civilized countries believe in democracy and freedom from oppression.
The factors are rules of law, including international law, human rights, freedom of religion, free speech, free press, along with electing leaders who represent the majority.
With free elections,a democracy also has a functional judicial system which insures civil rights, equality for women,laws against racial defamation to criminal provisions protecting all.
The large amount of personal freedoms also include exposure to international medias and opinions from all sources.
Democracies have old-fashioned ideals such as respecting religious sites and symbols,not using ambulances and hospitals for acts of war, avoiding the mutilation of dead bodies and not using children as human shields or human bombs.
I’m very proud of our military in Afghanistan and Iraq. Afghanistan was a stronghold for the Taliban and international Terrorism.
Iraq may or not have been a serious threat but I support the troops, not necessarily the politics of nation re-building.
Second Guessing” military operations in Iraq has been a favorite past time of Prime time news medias since March 20, 2003.
Building to building, town to town searches for Insurgents and determining “Friend or Foe” is a never ending dangerous task.
Forced entry into any occupied structure controlled by well armed combatants has been normal operations for our Marines and Soldiers.
Similar to “SWAT” police operations in the United States, entry teams always expect the worst.
In Iraq, the injured and dead have been wired with explosives posing a grim daily threat to Medics and search teams.
Improvised Explosives, Suicide Bombers, RPG attacks and snipers are a part of military reality.
When vehicles do not stop at checkpoints leading to secure facilities, it’s a safe bet the occupants are intent on demolition.
Our military cannot be Politically Correct under war time conditions. Some of the decisions which must be made instantly include a few of the following questions G.I.s face daily...
Do you raid a mosque, which serves as a terrorist ammunition storage? Do you return fire, if you are attacked from a hospital? Do you storm a church taken over by terrorists?
Do you search every ambulance after a few suicide bombers use ambulances to reach their targets? Do you strip every woman because one pretended to be pregnant and carried a suicide bomb on her stomach?
Do you shoot back at someone trying to kill you, standing deliberately behind a group of children? Do you raid a terrorist headquarters, hidden in a mental hospital? Do you shoot an Insurgent murderer who deliberately moves from one location to another,always surrounded by children or women?
If the average citizen or U.S. Politician had to “Walk several kilometers” in a Veteran’s boots,in warfare, they might begin to appreciate the troops and their sacrifice.
Through many letters received, I know the compassion of Officers, NCOs, Soldiers and Marines.
When it comes to Terrorist Insurgents, hostile fire conditions to trying to re-establish order in lawless areas for children and innocent civilians, they always accomplish an outstanding job.
The recent destruction of Mosques in Iraq by rival opposing Muslims was an attempt to incite a Shiite uprising and civil war.
Ancient historical sites in Afghanistan to the Golden Mosque in Iraq were destroyed by radical extremists and served no purpose other than inciting age old divides by warring adversaries.
If democracy in Iraq is just about free elections, and not the other traits needed in a free society, fanatics will continue to inflame an already volatile situation between Baaths, Shiites and Kurds.
How many years does it take to establish, train a national police force or military in Iraq capable of handling their own internal affairs without U.S. assistance?
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